Die Another Day
by darkaccalia520
Summary: Weeks before the 2nd tour, Kristin visits Cynthia in Andros. After getting involved with drug lord, Alexander Mangos, everyone's life is turned upside down. Will seaQuest save the day? AU. ALTERED TO COMPLY WITH SITE RULES. *COMPLETE*
1. The Time of My Life

**A/N: This won't follow any previous history from my other stories. This is just another story telling another possible reason why Kristin may have left. It starts off after the first season and will get into the second. I hope you enjoy it; please take the time to tell me if you do. I know I told some of you that my next story will be a Rocky Horror crossover. Well, it's coming, but I need my partner in crime to have a little more time, and she's dealing with a lot of exams at school. So, as soon as she has more time, there will be something posted in the crossover section on that. But, I just couldn't wait to post something new, so here it is. **

**Inspiration for this chapter is the song 'The Time of My Life' by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www . youtube . com (backslash) watch ? v (equals) QUoDaCH1MJM**

**Disclaimer: Disclaimer: SeaQuest DSV and its characters are not my creation. They are the creation of Rockne S. O'Bannon as a 1990's television series. This work of fanfiction is for entertainment purposes only and is not for financial gain. I am just borrowing the characters for a bit and promise to return them unharmed and in their original condition, maybe just a bit happier.**

**Chapter 1**

Nathan Bridger sat on the front porch of his island home off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, watching the two people he'd learned to care about at a time when he thought he could never love anyone again. But, things always happen for a reason, and they always seem to happen when one least suspects. And, although Nathan never could have imagined the love he could have for these two people, he never could imagine life without them now either. He'd been horribly depressed after the first _seaQuest_ had been destroyed, even though it was for the greater good. But, Lucas and Kristin helped him realize there are more important things in life, and a new _seaQuest_ was being built. In fact, Nathan and Lucas were going to be travelling to Florida. Nathan noticed that Kristin and Lucas were calling to him.

"Are you just going to sit on the porch all day, old man?" Lucas called.

Kristin was more kind. "Come down here, Nathan. Lucas wants to go sailing."

Nathan stood and walked down to the beach. "Who you calling _old man_?" Nathan asked, pretending to be upset.

"Well, you looked like one up there," Lucas answered.

"We were just wondering if you were going to sit on the porch all day?" Kristin asked. "You promised Lucas we'd go sailing since this is the last day we're going to have together for a while."

Nathan nodded. "Yes, yes, I did," he said. Then he thought he'd try to convince Kristin to reconsider her decision not to go with them. "You know, there's room on the flight for you," he said, giving her a sad, puppy-dog like face.

Kristin laughed. "Nathan, we've been over this a thousand times. It's only two weeks; then, I'll be in Florida with the two of you. Is it so wrong of me that I want to spend some time with my daughter before going on the second tour?"

"No, it's not," Nathan said, feeling a little guilty. "It's just that I'm going to miss you. And, so is Lucas."

Kristin glanced at Lucas, who was already on the boat, waiting for the two adults to join him. He had already turned on some rock music and was singing along with the song that was playing. "Lucas doesn't seem to be too broken-hearted about it," Kristin said. Then, she turned back to Nathan and said, "And I'm sure you'll be fine as well. And, just because I'm leaving for a couple of weeks doesn't mean I won't miss you too. Besides, the UEO's going to be keeping you so busy, you won't even have time to miss me."

"Well, we could use your opinion on a few things too, you know," Nathan answered. Then he whispered low enough so only Kristin could hear, "And my bed will miss you."

Kristin blushed slightly. "Well, we'll have the next ten months to make up for that," she said. "Now, come on. Lucas is waiting." She took his hand in hers and pulled him towards the boat.

Nathan knew there wasn't much more he could do but concede and enjoy the time he had left with her at the moment. Besides, Kristin was right. They were both mature adults. They should be able to handle two weeks apart.

**The Next Day**

"Lucas, are you all packed?" Nathan called from the other side of the teen's closed door.

"Almost," Lucas called from the other side. "Can I have fifteen minutes?"

"Fine," Nathan said. "But, we're leaving at ten o'clock. _Sharp_."

"Yes, Sir," Nathan heard Lucas call as he went to see how Kristin was doing with her packing.

Nathan knocked on her door. The two didn't share a bedroom out of respect for Lucas. "Can I come in?" he asked.

"Of course," she replied. "It's not locked."

Nathan walked in and saw Kristin placing clothing into an open suitcase that was lying on the bed. He walked up behind her and placed his arms around her waist. "So, how's it going?" he asked, placing a kiss to her neck.

"Almost finished," she said, "but I'd get done faster if you'd let me go."

Nathan obliged and sat down on the bed. "Do you need some help?"

Kristin shook her head, placing two more garments in the suitcase and zipping it up. "No, I'm finished," she said, sitting down next to Nathan. "Where's Lucas?"

"Still packing," Nathan said, placing his arm around her, "which means, we have a few moments alone."

"Hmmm," Kristin said, laying her head on Nathan's shoulder. "What _should_ we do?"

"I think you're thinking what I'm thinking," Nathan said, placing a kiss to her lips.

After Kristin and Nathan shared a few moments of alone time, it was time to head down to the dock and catch the ferry to the mainland. Lucas met them at the dock with his suitcase, and the three boarded the ferry.

"So, where is your daughter again?" Lucas asked Kristin when they were comfortably seated.

"She's currently in the Bahamas now," Kristin answered. "Now that she rescued the children from Brazil, she's looking for more indigent children she can help. There's an orphanage in the Bahamas that's over-populated and in dire need of funds. She's trying to help them," Kristin explained.

"So, you're going to the Bahamas?" Nathan asked in surprise. "I thought Cynthia was in California?"

"She was," Kristin explained, "but she decided to travel to the Bahamas at the last minute. She's renting a condo there. I thought I told you that."

"No you didn't," Nathan said, a little annoyed.

Kristin noticed his annoyance. "What's the problem?"

"Well, I just thought you'd be in the states," Nathan said.

"What difference does it make?" Kristin asked.

"I suppose it doesn't make a difference," Nathan replied, feeling slightly uneasy about the change in location. However, he didn't tell Kristin. "As long as you make sure we talk every night," he added.

She placed a gentle hand on his knee. "Wild horses couldn't stop me from it," she said with a smile.

Nathan returned the smile as the three exchanged small talk on their way to the mainland.

Once there, they took a taxi to the airport. Kristin's flight was set to leave first. Then, Lucas and Nathan would board a plane to Florida.

As the intercom buzzed that Kristin needed to board her flight, she turned to Lucas. "Well, this is it," she said, holding out her arms to him for a hug. The boy got the hint and embraced her. "I'm going to miss you," she whispered in his ear.

"Me too, Doc," Lucas whispered back, "but it's only two weeks."

Kristin released him from her grip and nodded. "Be good," she said, her arm still around his shoulders.

"I will," Lucas said.

"I know you will," she said.

"You know, I think you can let go of me now," Lucas reminded her. "I think there's someone else who wants to say goodbye."

Kristin hadn't realized she still had her arm around Lucas. She removed her arm and said, "Sorry."

"It's OK, Doc," Lucas said. "I'll give you two a few moments." Lucas went to go check out the gift shop so Kristin and Nathan could have a few moments alone.

"The boy sure is discreet, isn't he?" Nathan joked. He took Kristin in his arms. "I'm going to miss you so much. Two weeks is going to feel like two years, you know?"

Kristin held onto him tightly. "I know," she said. "But, we'll talk every night, like you said."

Nathan kissed her passionately. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said, feeling tears come to her eyes. She grabbed her carry-on, and said, "I have to go."

She blew him a kiss before stepping through security.

Nathan stood there for a long time watching her. He finally tore his eyes away when he couldn't see her anymore. But, he didn't know it was the last time he'd see her for a quite a while.


	2. Not Afraid

**A/N: I think I made a slight mistake in my last chapter that I have now changed. Originally, I wrote that Cynthia rescued children from Honduras (referring to 'The Good Death'), but I think that was wrong. Actually, they never actually referred to where they were in that episode, did they? It was simply referred to as the Amazonian Confederation. But, they spoke Portuguese, so I changed it to Brazil, the most likely scenario. If anyone believes this is wrong, please let me know, and I'll change it. Thank you.**

**Song inspiration for this chapter was 'Not Afraid' by Eminem. I'll post the link, but be warned there are explicit lyrics: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch ? v (equals) R88cgNTv_V4**

**Chapter 2**

When Kristin's flight landed at the airport on the island of Andros in the Bahamas, she was eager to see her daughter. But, as she searched the crowded airport for her familiar face, she didn't see it. She looked at her watch, realizing her flight was a little early. But, as she walked through the crowd, a young man stopped her.

"Are you Dr. Westphalen?" he asked.

"Y-yes," Kristin said hesitantly as she wasn't sure who the man was.

"You might not remember me," he continued, "but we met a few months back. I'm Malique, a friend of Cynthia's."

"Oh, yes," Kristin replied, suddenly remembering and extending her hand in greeting. "Forgive me for not remembering at first. Where is Cynthia?"

Malique returned the handshake and said, "She got a little busy; she asked me to come and take you to her condominium."

"Oh, alright. Could you help me with my bags?"

"Of course," Malique said with a smile.

So, the two got Kristin's bags loaded into Malique's car, and they headed to Cynthia's place, exchanging smalltalk. Kristin wanted to probe Malique a bit more to find out exactly what Cynthia was busy doing, but she didn't want to make the young man feel uncomfortable either; therefore, they only exchanged smalltalk. A short time later, they arrived at the condo.

"Oh, this is lovely," Kristin commented about the beachside home.

Malique helped Kristin carry the bags in. As he unlocked the door, he said, "The first room on the right will be yours. Cynthia should be back soon; she said to make yourself at home until she gets back. I suppose if there's nothing else, I'll leave you to-"

"Malique, _where_ exactly is she?" Kristin finally asked. "I-I'm sorry for interrupting, but I get the feeling something's going on."

"She told me not to tell you," Malique admitted. "She wants to tell you herself."

"Is she in trouble?"

"Not exactly," he said. "She's with the children; that's all I can say. And, I am sorry for this, but I need to meet her. I'm sure I'll see you soon."

Kristin sighed as Malique closed the door behind him. She grabbed one of her suitcases and brought it into her room. "Cynthia, this better be worth it," she muttered as she began unpacking.

An hour later, Cynthia finally arrived home.

"Mom?" she called when she walked in.

Kristin came out of the room and greeted her daughter with a hug. "I've missed you so," she said.

"Me too, Mom," Cynthia said. "Have you eaten?"

"No, I've been unpacking," Kristin said. "I was surprised not to see you at the airport."

"I know, Mom, and I'm sorry. I was busy, and I couldn't leave."

"Too busy for me? Well, I thought we'd be spending time together."

"We are," Cynthia replied, "but you know why I'm here."

Kristin nodded. "Yes, and Malique did say you were with the children. So you're working at the orphanage too?"

"Not exactly."

"Alright," Kristin said. "Are we going to keep playing a guessing game, or are you going to tell me what's really going on?"

"Is it that obvious?" Cynthia asked nervously.

"Well, just because your an adult doesn't mean I've lost my maternal intuition."

"Well, there is a reason I asked you to come here, and it wasn't just for a visit," Cynthia admitted. "I need your help."

"You know I'll do anything for you. What's going on?"

"I think it's better if I show you," Cynthia said. "Let me make you a sandwich, and we'll go."

Kristin nodded, as she was hungry. So the two headed into the kitchen and quickly ate. Then, they headed for Cynthia's car.

"So, what's the big mystery?" Kristin asked.

"I think you need to see it for yourself," Cynthia said. "I promise you'll understand."

Kristin looked out the window as they drove past lovely buildings. Then, Kristin noticed the buildings became slightly more dilapidated as they drove to the poorer community.

"This," Cynthia motioned towards a large, run-down brick building, "is the orphanage." She parked her car out front. "Come on."

"Is it safe?" Kristin asked hesitantly.

"Believe me," Cynthia said, "we're safer in there than we are out here. Besides, _we're_ not the ones in danger here."

"What? What are you talking about?"

Cynthia finally turned to her mother. "They're killing children here, Mommy. We have to do something."

"Who's killing children?"

"Just come inside, and I'll explain everything."

Kristin had little choice but to follow Cynthia inside. Malique was already there, but as Cynthia and Kristin started to walk in, they were stopped by a child. The problem was the child was taller than Kristin, and he didn't look very friendly. He was blocking the doorway, preventing them from entering.

"Christopher, please let us in," Cynthia said kindly.

The boy shook his head. "Not until you do what you promised."

Cynthia sighed. "Can we do this inside?"

Christopher nodded. "I guess, as long as you have the cash."

"I have it," Cynthia promised.

Christopher stepped aside and allowed them to pass. Then, he opened his coat and revealed his goods. "So, what's your pleasure? Smack? Blow? X?"

Kristin gasped. "Cynthia?"

"It's not what you think, Mom," Cynthia said, purchasing a few bags from the boy. He then pocketed the cash and left the lobby.

"Cynthia Lynn," Kristin said sternly, "What the _hell_ is going on here?"

Cynthia didn't answer at first. She walked into the nearby rest room and flushed the drugs down the toilet. Then, she walked back into the lobby. "Alexander Mangos," she answered.

"Who?"

"Alexander Mangos," Cynthia repeated. "Unfortunately, he practically runs the island, and it's slowly becoming corrupted. He's a very powerful drug lord, so powerful, in fact that half the people on the island are working for him, _including_ the children."

"And if they don't do what he wants," Malique broke in, "well, a lot of children have been disappearing lately."

"They're being _killed_, Mom," Cynthia said with profound emotion in her voice. "I can't just stand by and let it happen."

Kristin was silent for a moment. Then she replied, "I understand, and I do feel for them. But, how can I help?"

"Well, we were hoping the _seaQuest_ could-"

"The _seaQuest_?" Kristin said. "It's not even finished yet."

"I-I know," Cynthia said, "but you have connections."

"I just can't demand that they-"

"_No one_ else is doing anything about it, Mom," Cynthia said desperately.

Kristin sighed. "I'll see what I can do, but I can't guarantee seaQuest will be coming. But, I'm sure the UEO will do something."

Cynthia gave her mother a grateful hug. "Well, why don't you come meet the children?"

So, the three spent the afternoon with the children at the orphanage. After spending time with the children, Kristin completely understood the necessity for keeping them safe.

After several hours, Cynthia and Kristin had to leave with the promise of returning the next day.

Once in the car, Kristin asked, "So, who runs the orphanage? I didn't see a single worker inside."

"Believe it or not, it's Mangos. He has a couple of his cronies look in on the children a few times a day. Unfortunately, all they seem to do is supply them with drugs and make sure they're making Mangos money. Between Malique and I and a few other colleagues of ours, well, we're the only ones taking care of them."

"As soon as we get back to your place, I need to make a few calls," Kristin told her.


	3. Welcome to the New Wild West

**A/N: Inspiration for this chapter, 'Welcome to the New Wild West' by Jewel: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com watch (backslash) ? v (equals) nyYfHYjO6yY&feature (equals) related**

**Chapter 3**

Once Kristin and Cynthia arrived back at Cynthia's condo, Kristin headed to the vid-phone and dialed Nathan's office. A few moments later, Lucas' face appeared on the screen.

"Hi, Doc," Lucas greeted her with a smile.

Kristin returned the smile, although she was disappointed not to see Nathan on the screen. "Hi, Lucas. How are things going there?"

"Oh, it's a mad house," Lucas admitted. "Only the first day, and we've already run into snags. The word is that the launch might be delayed."

Kristin's face fell slightly. That certainly didn't help Cynthia's cause. "I suppose Nathan's too busy to speak at the moment then?"

"Well, he'd be pretty angry if he found out you called, and I didn't let him know. I'd better go and see if he can talk. Can you hold on a minute?"

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Great. Be back in a few," Lucas answered.

Kristin waited patiently, hoping Nathan could spare a few moments. She was pleased when she did see his face on the screen a few minutes later. "Hey there," Nathan greeted her.

"Well, you're rather cheery considering what Lucas just told me," she said. "_Will _the launch be delayed?"

Nathan sighed. "It looks that way. There are a few engineering issues already, but the delay will only be a week or two. That isn't too serious."

"I suppose," Kristin said dejectedly.

"Oh, don't worry," Nathan said, assuming her sadness had something to do with the delay. "We'll be under the ocean before you know it."

She nodded, trying to smile.

"So, how are things going there? How's Cynthia?"

"Oh, she's fine; things are going fairly well, but it's not what I expected."

"How's that?" Nathan inquired.

"Apparently there are some very corrupt things going on here in Andros," Kristin informed him. "In fact, that's the reason Cynthia asked me to visit. She wanted my help. Well, more like she wanted _our_ help."

"Oh, so that's why your upset," Nathan said knowingly.

Kristin nodded. "Well, tell me who I should talk to from the UEO."

"What do you mean?"

"Nathan, there are people dying here. _Children_ are dying. Someone needs to do _something_."

"Something tells me this has something to do with the orphanage there," Nathan said.

"Yes," Kristin confirmed. "You _must_ have compassion for them."

"Kristin, you know I have compassion for all sorts of people, but I can't guarantee the UEO will."

"There must be _someone_ you trust. SeaQuest isn't the _only _submarine."

Nathan sighed. He thought for a few moments. "Let me talk to Bill; he's over-seeing everything here. Can I call you back shortly?"

"Thank you so much," she said sincerely.

"Well, don't thank me yet," Nathan said. "I haven't done anything."

"But you will," Kristin said as she cut the link.

"Well?" Cynthia asked expectantly when she noticed Kristin was no longer on the vid-phone.

"Well, _seaQuest_ is out of commission for a while, but there is good news. Nathan will get back to me shortly; he'll put me in touch with someone who _can_ help."

Cynthia breathed a sigh of relief. "Let's just hope they're quick about it."

Several minutes later, the vid-phone rang. The caller ID read Nathan's number, so Kristin answered.

"Well, you're in luck," Nathan said as soon as he saw her face. "Bill's pulling some strings right now. He's talking to General Thomas as we speak."

"General Thomas? Nathan, he _hates_ me."

"He doesn't _hate _you," Nathan countered.

"Well, he certainly doesn't like scientists. If I remember correctly, he said that we didn't pull our weight," Kristin said.

"Yes, well you proved him wrong on that, didn't you? Believe me, he's changed, and petty differences can be set aside when it comes to keeping world peace."

"As long as you're sure he'll help," Kristin said.

"He will," Nathan promised. Then he wondered, "You're not in any danger, are you?"

"No, Nathan. I'm not, but the children here are."

Nathan nodded. "I had to check."

"Thank you for your concern," she said.

"Well, you know I'd do anything for you," Nathan told her. "General Thomas should be contacting you; I hope it's alright to give him the number."

"Of course. Well, I suppose I ought to let you get back to work."

"Yeah, unfortunately, duty calls. I love you. I'll speak with you tomorrow?"

"I wouldn't miss it. I love you too."

"Goodnight," Nathan said as he cut the link.

Cynthia had overheard the conversation. "So is this General Thomas someone that can be trusted?"

"Nathan _has_ known him for quite a while."

"That doesn't answer the question, Mom. Do _you_ trust him?"

"I don't really know him that well," Kristin admitted. "But, I'm sure he can be."

"I heard you say that you thought he hated you. You're telling me the truth?"

"Cynnie, Nathan says he's changed. Besides, we don't have much of a choice. At least it's _someone_," Kristin said.

Cynthia nodded. "You're right. As long as the children get help."

An hour later, Kristin received a call from General Thomas.

"Doctor, Admiral Noyce tells me there's a situation there?"

Kristin nodded, but before she could speak, General Thomas asked, "Don't tell me it has to do with Alexander Mangos."

"How did you know?" Kristin asked in shock.

"The UEO has had their eye on him for a while. Unfortunately, he has so much influence over the island that no one has the courage to bring charges against him. And the guy's no idiot. He knows exactly what he's doing," Thomas explained.

"So, the UEO is aware of the drug trafficking? Are they also aware how he uses children?" Cynthia broke in, standing behind Kristin.

"Excuse me, General. Uh, this is my daugher, Cynthia," Kristin said.

"Forgive me for interrupting, Sir, but children are losing their lives. We're hoping you can do something," Cynthia explained.

"I appreciate your passion, Miss, uh?"

"Nelson," Cynthia answered, "but you can call me Cynthia."

"Thank you, Cynthia. Like I was saying, I do appreciate your passion. And, the UEO has had a hard time keeping track of Mangos lately. You two know how to reach him?"

"Well, I've never actually met him," Cynthia admitted. "But, my colleagues and I have been trying to help the children in the orphanage, and many of them have met him. And, I've met some of his cohorts."

"That's wonderful," Thomas said. "Do you think some of the children would be willing to lead us to him?"

"I-I don't know for sure," Cynthia said. "The children are pretty frightened of him."

General Thomas nodded. "Well, that's understandable. Tell you what. Let me get a team together, and we can meet you in Andros tomorrow."

"Thank you so much, General," Kristin said gratefully.

"Yes, thank you," Cynthia confirmed.

"No, thank you," Thomas said.


	4. Open Your Eyes

**A/N: Inspiration for this chapter, 'Open Your Eyes' by Stain'd; just warning you that it contains explicit lyrics: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch ? v (equals) XEfU4ss98ZA**

**Chapter 4**

The next morning, Kristin woke early. Well, she thought she'd woken early, but she was surprised to see Cynthia all ready and raring to go.

"Well, it's about time, sleepyhead," Cynthia joked.

"I thought you always slept late on Saturday," Kristin said groggily.

Cynthia laughed. "That was when I was a teenager, Mom. Besides, I found more important things to do than sleep."

"Well, I'm glad of that. So, what's on the agenda today?" Kristin asked, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"The orphanage. Do you want to tag along?"

"Of course." But, Kristin had a thought weighing on her mind, and she finally felt the need to ask, "It's not _illegal_ what we're doing, is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you mentioned that associates of Mangos run the orphanage. They actually_ allow_ you and Malique and others to just walk right in there?"

Cynthia hesitated a bit. "N-not exactly," she finally answered.

"I knew it," Kristin said. "So, if we were caught-"

"Mom, don't think we just came to the island and started barging in there right away," Cynthia said in her defense. "Mangos and his associates might be corrupt, but they're also both predictable and punctual. They always check on the children at the same time every day. We watched them for weeks before we started going in there, and I'm glad we did."

"Well, as proud as I am of you for helping the less-fortunate, creatures of habit or not, there is always room for human error. What happens when they arrive just a few moments earlier?"

"Well, we shouldn't have to worry about that now," Cynthia said, avoiding the question. "General Thomas says we'll come up with a plan."

Kristin sighed. She realized that no matter what she said, Cynthia was going to do whatever she wanted. She was so damned stubborn sometimes; _where_ did she get that from? "Fine."

"Fine what?"

"Fine; I'll be ready in twenty minutes," Kristin said, heading to the bathroom to shower.

A short time later, the two were headed to the orphanage.

"So, how will the general contact us?" Cynthia asked.

"He has my mobile number," Kristin said. "I don't think they'll arrive until later this afternoon anyway."

"I just hope that we can get the children out of here as soon as possible."

"Miracles don't always happen overnight, Dear," Kristin reminded. "Remember that."

"I know; I know."

As Cynthia drove, Kristin had a better opportunity to see the corruption that was feeding upon the island, something she hadn't noticed a day earlier. But, then, she didn't know about Mangos at the time either. Kristin wasn't naive; she knew the world was full of corruption, and she did have a passion for helping others. But, she also knew that, although help was on the way, that helping the children might not be as easy as Cynthia seemed to think it was going to be. However, she didn't want to bring her down either. She kept her mouth shut and hoped and prayed for the best.

As soon as they arrived at the orphanage and started exiting the car, they heard gunshots.

"Cynthia?" Kristin said in panic.

"Mom, get back in the car," Cynthia warned.

Kristin did so but noticed her daughter did _not _do the same. "Cynthia!"

"Shh," Cynthia urged, as she listened, trying to determine where the gunfire was coming from. A few moments later, the gunfire ceased. Screams could be heard in the distance, and so Cynthia deduced that they weren't in danger. "It's OK. You can get out."

Although Kristin was shaken, she felt well enough to give her daughter a stern lecture. "Don't you _ever _do that to me again."

"What?"

"Protect me," Krisitn answered. "_I'm _supposed to be the one to protect _you_."

"Yes, well, you aren't aware of the dangers here," Cynthia said. "And I'm not about to let you get killed."

"So I should just stand back and let _you_ get killed?"

"You know what I mean, Mom." But, noticing the stern look still on Kristin's face, Cynthia added, "I'm sorry. I was just going by instinct. Maybe I should have prepared you. What just happened is an everyday occurence."

"Well, you're right. Maybe if I knew what to expect, I wouldn't be so upset," Kristin admitted. Then she softed a bit, "But I appreciate you trying to protect your old mum."

Cynthia laughed. "You're not old, Mom. And, believe me, it all seems worth it when you're with the children. Should we go inside?"

Kristin nodded.

This time, when they entered, Christopher wasn't blocking the door. They walked into the lobby, and Kristin saw an unfamiliar face of a young woman around Cynthia's age.

"Oh, Cynthia," the woman said. "I'm so glad you're here." Then she noticed Kristin. "Oh, hello."

"Mom, this is Maggie, one of my colleagues," Cynthia said.

"Hello," Kristin said.

"Hi," Maggie said. "I-I'm sorry, but could you excuse us for a moment?" Then she grabbed Cynthia's arm and gently pulled her aside.

Kristin decided to enter the main play area for the children so the two could speak privately. She was pleased to see a small group of children playing. Some of the children, she had met yesterday. However, there was one little girl, who looked around the age of five, whom she hadn't met yet.

"Hello," Kristin greeted her. "What's your name?"

"Kristen," the girl answered. "What's yours?"

Kristin laughed softly. "Well, I think Kristen is a lovely name, and do you know why?"

The girl shook her head.

"Because that's _my _name too," Kristin said with a smile.

This made the little girl give Kristin a beaming smile. She grabbed Kristin's hand and asked, "Do you want to see my dolls?"

"I'd love to."

And so, Kristin played dolls with the child for a while. Suddenly, however, she heard Cynthia scream, "No! Why didn't you _call_ me when you found out?"

Then she heard Maggie say, "I'm sorry, but I didn't know if it was a false alarm."

Kristin didn't want to alarm little Kristen, so she very tactfully said, "You know what, Dear? Why don't you go find some new clothes for your dolls, and I'll be right back, OK?"

Little Kristen did as she was told, and Kristin rushed to see what the matter was.

"Cynthia?" she asked when she saw her daughter in tears.

Cynthia held out her arms, and Kristin embraced her. "What's the matter, Sweetie?"

"I-it's Christopher," Cynthia said through her tears. "He disappeared last night." Then she broke down in sobs once again.

Little Kristen heard the commotion and wandered out of the playroom. "Miss Cynthia? Miss Maggie?" the girl asked in alarm and confusion when she saw the two women in tears.

Maggie walked over to little Kristen and crouched down in front of her. "Why is everyone crying?" she asked.

Maggie wiped her eyes. "It's OK, Honey," Maggie reassured her. "We just heard some sad news. Christopher is gone, and we can't find him."

With her small mind, little Kristen didn't seem to realize the gravity of the situation. "He's probably playing hide and seek," she said.

Through her sadness, Maggie laughed slightly. "You're right, Dear. Um, why don't you get back to playing and let the adults talk, hm?"

"OK." And, little Kristen happily skipped back into the play area.

Meanwhile, Cynthia's sadness quickly turned to anger. She grabbed her keys and headed towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Kristin and Maggie both asked in alarm.

"The gunshots we heard," Cynthia began. "Well, I have to know."

"I'm going with you," Kristin said.

"Cynthia?" Maggie said. "You can't. It's too dangerous."

Cynthia turned back to Maggie. "Don't you want to know?"

Maggie thought for a moment and nodded. "Just be careful."

"I will," Cynthia vowed as she and Kristin headed to her car. As they got in, Cynthia said, "Please don't give me a lecture."

Kristin nodded. "I doubt you'd listen to me anyway. Is this safe?"

"Not sure," Cynthia admitted. "But I don't care at the moment." With that, she peeled out of the parking spot and drove in the direction where they'd heard the gunfire.

"This is normally the highest crime section of town," Cynthia explained as they drove down a main street.

Sure enough, it did have a lot of traffic on the street, and there were seemingly homeless people hanging around on corners, groups of teens that looked like they were involved in illegal activities, and young women that were hanging around on street corners, most likely prostituting.

As they drove along the street, Kristin noticed something lying on the ground surrounded by a small group of people. "Cynthia, do you think?"

Cynthia pulled over, and they both got out of the vehicle and rushed over to the small crowd. Sure enough, as they got closer, they could make out the form of Christopher lying in a puddle of blood. But, no one standing around him made any effort to help him.

"Everyone get out of my way," Kristin yelled. "I'm a doctor."

"That ain't gonna help him now," she heard someone say as the crowd parted.

"I can't believe no one would help," Kristin muttered as she started to feel for a pulse.

"It's an everyday thing, Mom," Cynthia said, nearly in tears once again. "He's dead, isn't he?"

Kristin was nearly in tears herself as she nodded sadly and said, "I'm so sorry, Honey."

**A/N: I just want to let readers know I wasn't trying to be funny by naming the young girl Kristen. It's a very common name in Andros, so I just went with it. I hope it didn't leave anyone confused. Thank you.**


	5. The Dream

**A/N: I just want to alert readers that I have changed the genre categories. There will be romance...eventually. Since the first chapter was somewhat romantic, I chose a romance genre, but admittedly, that is probably the last bit of romance that you'll see for a while. This story will cover several genres: suspense, romance, hurt/comfort, drama, and angst. Honestly, there will probably be more Kristin and Nathan angst than romance for a while. I hope that doesn't turn anyone off, and I hope you're still with me. As always, I will promise a happy ending. Thank you.**

**Inspiration for this chapter, 'The Dream' from Doug Larche's Angels in the Snow! You won't find the link to the song anywhere, but if you'd like the lyrics, PM me. Thank you.**

**Chapter 5**

"We need to talk to police," Kristin said, once she and Cynthia had regained their composure.

Cynthia shook her head. "No police, not here."

"What do you mean?" Kristin asked in surprise.

"Mangos controls just about everything on the island. If Mangos or his cohorts had anything to do with Christopher's death, and I'm certain they did, the police aren't going to do a damn thing about it. They'll just look the other way."

"That's awful," Kristin said, glancing and Christopher's lifeless body.

"That's Andros, unfortunately," Cynthia said miserably. "Help me," Cynthia said as she tried to lift Christopher's body.

"What are you doing?"

"If we don't take him, his body will be left here," Cynthia explained. "At least we can give him a proper burial."

"Where are we going to take him?" Kristin wondered, as she struggled to help Cynthia load the body into the backseat of the car.

"This isn't the first child we've buried," Cynthia admitted. "We've been burying them in a field near the orphanage."

After Christopher was in the backseat, Cynthia took out her mobile phone called Malique. A few moments later she hung up and turned to her mother. "Malique will meet us there."

Kristin nodded, but didn't speak. Honestly, she didn't know how Cynthia could be so strong through all this. Kristin felt like breaking down again right there, but didn't. But, the fact that Christopher was only a few years younger than Lucas really got to her, and it was only a matter of time before her threatening tears _would_ fall.

So, the two women drove in silence until Cynthia pulled the car along side a curb near a vacant field. Kristin saw Malique waiting at the edge of the field, waiting for them.

Kristin began to feel sick as the three of them carried Christopher's lifeless body to the back of the field to the makeshift cemetery. Kristin was surprised by the sheer number of graves that were already there, as there had to have been at least a couple dozen, each marked with a homemade wooden cross.

"Y-you mean _all _these are children?" she asked.

"All but one," Cynthia answered. "This one," she said pointing to a grave, "was a friend of ours. She was a native of Andros, and she's the one who got us involved in the orphanage in the first place. Mia died trying to save Christopher from getting beaten. It was when he first began selling, and he hadn't done as well as they wanted him to. Therefore, they were going to teach him a lesson. Unfortunately, it was by means of a belt, and Mia wouldn't have it. They shot her before any of us could stop it."

Kristin suddenly felt overwhelmed. She couldn't possibly fathom the horrors her own daughter had seen in just a few weeks of being on the island. But then again, Kristin herself couldn't have imagined the horrors she would see in the the thirty-six hours she'd been on the island herself. She finally broke down and sobbed, unable to hold it in any longer.

Cynthia understood her mother's pain, going through the same thing herself. She went over to her mother and embraced her. "I know, Mommy," she soothed gently. "Believe me, it gets a little easier each time."

"_Each _time?" Kristin thought. She didn't want to think about having this experience again during her trip to Andros. However, in the back of her mind, she knew it was a definite possiblity, considering the number of graves before her. She just hoped General Thomas and his team came up with a good plan to stop all this madness.

After several moments, Kristin regained her composure, and she helped Cynthia and Malique dig a grave. Then, they gently laid Christopher's body in it. Then, they proceeded to fill the grave back in with dirt. Then, Cynthia made a cross out of scrap wood laying on the edge of the field while Malique said prayers over the grave. Once the cross was finished, it was placed into the fresh dirt at the head of the grave, and the three joined hands, and said a final prayer together as they shed a few more tears for the prematurely lost life.

As if on cue, Kristin's cell phone rang as they had just finished their impromptu service, causing her to jump slightly.

Kristin cleared her throat and answered, "Hello? Oh, General Thomas, it's so good to hear from you. Now? I'm sure that would be fine. Thank you. See you soon."

"They're here?" Cynthia asked hopefully.

Kristin nodded. "Do you know where the Lighthouse Beach is?"

Cynthia nodded. "They're just a few miles to the north. Are we meeting them?"

"That's what they were hoping."

"Let's go," Cynthia said.

So, all three of them drove to the beach to meet General Thomas and his team.

Once there, General Thomas greeted Kristin. "Dr. Westphalen, it's a pleasure to see you again."

Kristin was slightly taken aback, remembering the fact that Thomas never seemed very fond of her. But, she smiled and said, "Likewise," trying to sound as genuine as possible.

But, General Thomas noticed her slight hesitance and said, "I want to apologize for being a bit hypocritical the last time we met. That was out of line. But, I want you to know that I have gained a genuine respect for you and your work. You know, if Mangos is successfully captured, there might be a military career for you yet."

Kristin laughed softly. "Now, let's not go that far," Kristin said. "But I accept your apology. Let me introduce you to my daughter and one of her colleagues. This is Cynthia and her friend, Malique."

General Thomas shook hands with them. "And let me introduce you to my colleagues," he said, motioning to a small group of five behind him, three men and two women. "This is Commander Mark Anderson, Lieutenant Cameron Perry, Commander Jennifer Evans, Lieutenant Michelle Birchfield, and Chief Andrew McEntire."

Everyone shook hands in introduction. Then General Thomas asked, "Well, is there somewhere we can go to discuss our plans?"

"Is my condo alright?" Cynthia asked.

"That'll do fine," Thomas said.

So, General Thomas and his team climbed into an SUV they had rented and followed Kristin, Malique, and Cynthia in their car back to Cynthia's condo.

Once there, General Thomas asked, "Well, why don't we start by you telling us the crimes you two have witnessed while you've been here and of Mangos' involvement?"

So, Cynthia and Malique told them everything they had witnessed thus far, and their recounting of the events they'd witnessed was so touching that even General Thomas became choked up, especially when it came to the crimes committed against the children.

Once Malique and Cynthia were finished, Thomas and his team spoke privately for a few moments. Then General Thomas turned to them and spoke, "Well, we'd like to plan a mission, but it's not going to be easy."

"We're not expecting it to be, Sir," Cynthia said, "as long as we save the children."

"We'll do that, _and_ catch Mangos and his goons" General Thomas promised, "but, we'll need all the help we can get. The colleagues you mentioned, they'd be willing?"

Cynthia nodded. "I know they would. They want justice just as much as we do."

"Good," Thomas answered. "Because this is what we were thinking. You said there are certain times of day the children are checked on, correct?"

"Yes," Malique answered.

"Well, we'll just have to get all the children out between those times. We'll move them to a secure and safe location."

"But, surely that would be reported back to Mangos," Kristin said.

"Exactly," Cynthia said with a smile, understanding exactly what General Thomas meant.

"Oh, I see," Kristin said, finally understanding. "That will be dangerous."

"Not to worry, Doctor," Thomas said. "We'll make sure that the rest of you are all safe. No harm will come to any of you."

"We'll just have to let the children know what's going on," Cynthia said.

General Thomas nodded. "Yes, we'd _love_ to meet them."


	6. Prayer

**A/N: I think I need to clear something up with readers. There is nothing underhanded about General Thomas or his actions. His intentions are genuinely good, and they will continue to stay that way. I do realize there are stories out there that make him a villain, but I was never an author of any of those stories. And, this story is following canon. So, yes, in canon, General Thomas was a bit of a jerk at first, but he admitted his mistake in the end, realizing he may have been too quick to judge the science staff. The writers of the show never elaborated after that, but I am going to assume General Thomas continued to be good. The only bad guys in this story will be Mangos and his cohorts. I do realize we've only heard about them thus far, but they will be making an appearance soon. Thank you.**

**Inspiration for the chapter, 'Prayer' by Celine Dion: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) svgLxdCr5E8**

**Chapter 6**

As the group worked out the details of the plan, it was decided first that General Thomas' team would observe the orphanage for several days to determine for sure when Mangos' cohorts checked in there. Then, from there, they would decide when the best day and time would be for the mission. However, Kristin continued to feel uneasy about the whole thing, feeling that it might not be as safe as they thought. She finally broke in and interrupted.

"Couldn't we just adopt the children instead?" she asked.

Everyone turned and looked at her as though she had a third arm.

"Mom, do you know how long that would take?" Cynthia said gently. "There are over a hundred children in the orphanage now, and there's a reason there hasn't been a single adoption there in over a year-because Mangos purposely creates so much red tape for potential adoptive parents that most families give up and choose an adoption elsewhere. And, for the families who _do _stick it out, most of the time, the children suddenly run away, or so, the families are _told_."

"Believe me, Doctor," General Thomas said, "I understand your concerns. Don't think we haven't considered other options, but unfortunately, this seems to be the best. If there was any other way, we would do it, I assure you. But, you need to trust us now. You wanted our help, right?"

Cynthia gave her mother a desperate look.

Kristin knew what was happening was wrong, and that the island of Andros needed help. And, that meant trusting a military general who hadn't been very nice to her in the past. However, she didn't have much choice but to trust him at the moment. She finally gave a nod. "I trust you."

"Good," General Thomas said with a smile. Then, he turned to Cynthia. "How about we go visit those kids now?"

She nodded. "Yes, of course. The children will be alone at the moment anyway."

So, they all loaded into vehicles and drove to the orphanage.

Once they arrived and entered the building, another young woman was there.

"Mom, this is Crystal," Cynthia explained, as she proceeded to introduce General Thomas and his team as well.

After shaking hands with Crystal, Kristin headed into the play area, hoping to see little Kristen.

"Hi," the little girl smiled when she saw her. "I missed you."

"I know, and I'm sorry," she said. "I had to help Miss Cynthia find Christopher."

Little Kristen nodded. "He's with the angels now."

"Who told you that?" Kristin asked in surprise.

"Mr. 'Kenzie," the little girl replied. "He always comes and tells us when the angels take one of us."

The girl spoke as though it didn't phase her, and it melted Kristin's heart.

"W-who is Mr. 'Kenzie, Dear?"

The girl sighed as though telling Kristin about the man was a large effort. "He's the man who takes care of us sometimes. Sometimes, it's Mr. Slinkas, and sometimes, it's Mr. Mongoose. But, most of the time, it's Mr. Kenzie."

Kristin nearly laughed when little Kristen said 'Mongoose'. It was at that moment that the girl might be mispronouncing the names in her cute, child-like way. She made a mental note to ask Cynthia about the other names later. "Do they ever ask you about Miss Cynthia or the others?"

Little Kristen shook her head. "No, we all know not to tell them. If we did, Miss Cynthia, Miss Maggie, Miss Crystal, and Mr. Malique would be with the angels too."

Kristin just stared at the child for a moment, unsure of what to say when General Thomas came up behind her. "Hello, Doctor. Who's your little friend?"

"Oh, this is Kristen," Kristin replied. "Kristen, this is my friend, General Thomas."

"Hi," little Kristen replied with a smile as General Thomas crouched down next to the girl.

"Well, hello, Kristen. It's so nice to meet you." He noticed the doll in her hand. "Oh, and who's this?" he asked, referring to the doll.

"This is Samantha," she said. "She's my best friend."

"She's very pretty," General Thomas said.

Kristin was surprised at the fact that this large, tough-as-nails man was being so kind and gentle with the little girl. It was a side of him she never expected to see, but she _was_ pleased to see it. Seeing it helped her trust General Thomas more. She watched as General Thomas and the young girl played together for several minutes.

Finally General Thomas asked. "Have you ever thought about what it would be like outside of the orphanage?"

Little Kristen became very serious and shook her head. "Mr. Mongoose told me that someday, the angels would come and take me too."

This nearly brought Kristin and General Thomas both to tears.

Finally, General Thomas spoke, his voice thick with emotion, "I promise you that won't happen, Sweetie. We're here to help you, and we're going to get you out of here."

"R-really?" little Kristen asked. "Y-you mean I'll get a mommy and daddy?" She looked expectantly at Kristin.

Kristin choked back her tears and put her arm around the girls' shoulders. "I promise you you will have a mummy and daddy." Then, she gently kissed her cheek.

After spending a few more moments with them, General Thomas said. "Well, Kristen, I need to go and meet some of the other children, OK?'

"OK," she said. Then she asked, "General? Can you go visit Harry?"

"Of course, Sweetie. Where is he?" he asked, looking around the room.

"He's not in here. He's in his room. He's real sick; he says he's going to die."

General Thomas nodded solemnly. "I promise I'll go see Harry."

"Good," the girl answered, "because my brother's real scared no one's going to take care of me after he dies."

"Harry's your brother?" Kristin asked.

Little Kristen nodded.

"You don't need to worry about that anymore," General Thomas promised.

And so, the rest of the afternoon was spent with the children. Finally, it was time to leave for the day, and Kristin found it difficult to tear herself away for she was growing quite fond of them. In fact, she found she found a special place in her heart for little Kristen, and she knew when the time came, she was going to have a hard time saying goodbye. But, she quickly pushed that thought aside as she hugged the little girl and said, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Little Kristen gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, "I love you."

Kristin choked back tears as she said, "I love you too, Dear." With that, she headed to the car, shedding a few heartfelt tears as she waited for Cynthia.

Although it had been a long, trying day, Kristin was eager to speak to Nathan. She was happy to see his smiling face on the vid-screen.

"Hello, Sweetheart," he said. Then, he noticed she looked a little pale, like she'd been crying. "Is everything alright?" he asked seriously.

Kristin nodded. "Everything's fine," she said. "I just got a little emotional when we left the orphanage."

Nathan laughed softly. "You won't be bringing home a child, will you?" He was only half serious.

"Don't put it past me, Nathan," Kristin answered seriously. "You really don't know what these children have been through."

"Why don't you tell me?"


	7. Godspeed Sweet Dreams

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, 'Godspeed, Sweet Dreams' by the Dixie Chicks: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch ?v (equals) VqaBof47pmY**

**Chapter 7**

After Kristin told Nathan about everything she'd witnessed in the past two days, she was nearly in tears. Nathan found himself choked up about it as well.

"Now I understand why you wanted my help. I'm sorry I let you down," Nathan said quietly.

Kristin shook her head. "You didn't let me down," she assured him. "Now, I will admit I was apprehensive about General Thomas at first, but you were right, he _has _changed."

"I told you, and thanks for trusting me. You know, if I could, I'd be there."

"I know," Kristin said. "But, if you could have seen the general with little Kristen today, your heart would have melted at the sight."

"It sounds like your falling in love with her," Nathan said. "You _do_ realize the UEO might frown at having children on their submarine."

"And just what are you insinuating Nathan? You think I'm just going to bring a child home?"

Nathan laughed softly. "Well, there are times I'm not sure what goes through your head."

"Alright, I'm not going to lie," Kristin admitted. "I _have_ thought about it already, but I'm not going to do anything rash. I promise. I know a submarine is no life for a child."

"Good," Nathan said. "You know you're in good hands with the general."

"I'm starting to see that now. He's helped us plan a mission to save the children and capture Mangos."

"A mission? Is it safe?" Nathan asked worriedly.

"You know as well as I that I can't discuss the details. Isn't that against military protocol?"

"Since when do you care about military protocol?" Nathan quipped.

Kristin raised an eyebrow with one of her 'don't mess with me' looks, so Nathan conceded.

"Alright, I understand," Nathan said. "Just be careful."

"You know I will. So, how _is _the work coming?" Kristin changed the subject.

Nathan groaned slightly.

"That bad, huh?"

"Well, as we speak, our young protege is working on the computer system right now. It seems it has a few glitches."

"Big surprise," Kristin said sarcastically. Then she added, "It will all work out."

Nathan nodded, "I know, but it's just hard to see that now." Then, he looked at the time. "Do you realize we've been talking for nearly two hours? I should probably let you get some sleep, hm? You look tired, Dear."

"Do I look that awful?" Kristin asked. Then she admitted, "I am tired."

"Then let's say goodnight. Tomorrow is another day. I love you, Sweetheart."

"I love you too. We'll speak tomorrow. Goodnight." And, with that, Kristin cut the link.

* * *

><p>As soon as they were inside, Kristin headed to the play area to see little Kristen, but she wasn't there. She turned to Cynthia with a worried face.<p>

"Don't worry, Mom. She's probably upstairs. Do you want me to show you?"

"No, that's alright. You do what you need down here. I think I can find my way." Kristin began climbing the flight of stairs as Cynthia called to her.

"It's the first door on the right."

"Thank you," Kristin called back.

Kristin walked quietly across the floor so she wouldn't startle anyone as she looked upon a very sweet scene between brother and sister. Little Kristen was sitting next to a frail-looking boy about the age of eight on his bed. She held his hand and said, "I don't want to leave you today."

But the boy argued, "You can't stay cooped up in here all day. Go play; I'll be fine."

But little Kristen shook her head. "You don't have to lie to me. You know I'm getting older, and I know you're not fine at all. You didn't even eat the breakfast I brought you."

It was at this moment that Kristin knocked gently on the door frame.

"Hi," little Kristen beamed when she saw her.

"C-can I come in?" she asked, looking expectantly at Harry.

He nodded, so Kristin took a seat next to his bed.

"Harry, this is the new friend I was telling you about. This is Kristin too," little Kristen said with a smile.

Kristin held out your hand to him to shake. "Hello, Harry."

"Hi," the boy said. "I want to thank you for playing with my sister. She really likes you."

"Well, I really like her too," Kristin said. Then, she asked, "So, you haven't been feeling well?"

Harry shook his head. "I have leukemia," he answered. "I've been in and out of the hospital for months now. I was doing alright for a while, but not so much lately."

Kristin immediately went into doctor mode and started examining him while both Harry and little Kristen gave her strange looks. She laughed softly. "Oh, I'm sorry. I suppose I forgot to mention that I'm a doctor."

"You are?" little Kristen asked in a pleased way. "Then, that means you can help Harry. You can make him all better."

"It doesn't work like that, Kristen," Harry said. "I told you that."

But Kristin said in a softer tone, "I'll do anything I can for him. Let me get my medical bag out of the car, and I'll be right back, hm?"

A short time later, Kristin returned and she checked Harry over properly. "Well, young man, it seems you have a slight cold, but the reason you feel so bad is because your immune system is weaker."

Harry nodded knowingly.

"But, don't worry," Kristin assured, "we'll get you some medicine, and you'll feel better."

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome, Sweetheart," Kristin said with a smile as she placed her stethoscope back into her bag. "I'll be right back."

By this time, Malique and Maggie had arrived, so she asked Malique if he could go to the drug store and pick up a few things for Harry. After Malique was on her way, Kristin made her way back upstairs.

Harry was still trying to get little Kristen to go downstairs and play.

"Miss Kristin," little Kristen said, "Harry wants us to go downstairs."

"Do you want to be alone Harry?" Kristin asked him.

"Not really," he said, "but it's not fair of me to keep her up here all day. _She's_ not the one who's sick."

"Well, I think I can solve that," Kristin said. "We can have just as much fun in here as we can downstairs. How about we play a game?"

"Like what?" Harry asked, perking up a bit.

Kristin thought for a moment. "Do you have a deck of cards?"

Little Kristen got them off the shelf. "Here they are."

"Good," Kristin smiled. "How about a game of Go Fish?"

And, so the three played several rousing games of Go Fish. Then, they played a few games of Old Maid as well. After that, Kristin noticed that Harry was getting tired, so she looked through the books on the shelf.

"Oh, here's a good one," Kristin said, as she grabbed _Oh, the Places You'll Go_ off the shelf and began reading to the two children, who sat comfortably next to each other on the bed.

By the time she finished the book, both children were asleep. She gently covered them up with a blanket, kissed them both on the cheek, and whispered, "Goodnight, sweet angels."


	8. You'll Be in my Heart

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, 'You'll Be in my Heart' by Phil Collins: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (colon) watch ?v(equals)(underscore) aPXqrGoR1M**

**Chapter 8**

As Kristin made her way back down the stairs, she heard a small commotion coming from the play area, a happy commotion. Kristin stood in the doorway, and saw Malique, Cynthia, and Maggie playing a rousing game of Twister with the children there. Kristin couldn't help but laugh when Cynthia looked up and saw her.

"You should join us, Mom."

Kristin continued laughing and shook her head. "No, it looks like there isn't much room for me. Besides, my body doesn't bend as easily anymore...at least not _that_ way." She was referring to the fact that her daughter was in a full back-bend with her both her arms and legs crossed as they were on different colors.

This caused Cynthia to laugh. "Well, we're almost finished I think," Cynthia said as one of the children called out, "Left hand blue."

Cynthia rolled her eyes slightly, wondering how she was going to twist her hand from one side of the board to the other. But, she didn't have to wonder any longer since she fell and was out of the game. "Sorry, guys," she said, "but you'll have to let me know who wins." Then she glanced at the clock, "Just a reminder, there's about a half hour until we have to leave for a while." The children were used to this as this was an everyday occurrence. And, they'd successfully managed the charade for several months now without Mangos or his cronies discovering their presence.

Kristin motioned her daughter over to her, and they walked into the lobby area. "Can I speak with you?"

"This sounds serious," Cynthia said. "Is there a problem?"

"Not exactly, but I wanted to ask what you knew about Harry and Kristen," Kristin asked.

Cynthia smiled. "You're getting quite attached to them, aren't you?" Then, she sighed. "Unfortunately, there isn't much to tell. All I know is this: their father is non-existent. I'm not sure if their mother even knew who the father was. Anyway, Mia told me their mother had dropped them off here a year ago. Apparently, she was terminally ill. I can't remember exactly what illness she had...possibly AIDS. She died a few months later. There are no other known relatives, no one to take the children in, so they remain here. Anyway, shortly after that, as if the children hadn't been through enough, Harry was diagnosed with leukemia. He's been in and out of the hospital since."

"Is _he_ terminal?" Kristin asked quietly.

"I'm not sure. He seems to think he is, but I don't know for sure what the doctors or Mangos tell him."

Kristin nodded sadly. But she gave her daughter a small, reassuring smile shortly thereafter. "Well, hopefully, we'll find _all _the children new homes soon."

They were interrupted by some more loud laughing from the play area. They walked in to see what was going on and saw the children laughing and cheering. "Malique won, Malique won."

"Way to go, champ," Cynthia said as Malique walked into the lobby.

"Thanks," he said with a smile. Then, Maggie announced, "Alright, gang, we better hurry and clean up."

They all worked quickly to clean up the play area.

"Well," Cynthia said, "you know what time it is."

She was met with a chorus of disappointed groans from the children.

"We'll be back later," Maggie reassured them.

Cynthia turned to Kristin. "Let's go."

Kristin followed her out. "You go through this _everyday_?"

"Well, when we're here at this time, yes. And, it's worked so far."

"Where do you go?" Kristin asked.

"Well, are you hungry?" Cynthia asked.

A short time later, they were sitting in a small cafe and ordering lunch. Malique and Maggie opted not to join them, so it was just the two of them.

"So, what do you know about the other men who help Mangos?" Kristin asked.

"You don't want to talk about much else, do you?"

"Forgive me, but I want to understand."

"I know; it's a lot to take in, isn't it? Well, he's supposed to have people working for him all over the island, but the ones that come to the orphanage are Jacob McKenzie and Kevin Psilinakis."

Kristin nodded knowingly, remembering little Kristen's words, even though she had put her own child-like spin on the names. "Are they kind to the children?"

"Well, as kind as two burly, weapon toting, drug dealers can be," Cynthia said sarcastically. Then she said, "The children never tell me otherwise. They come and feed the children, for the most part."

"And, how long do they normally stay with them?"

"An hour at the most, sometimes a little more. Why?"

"I was just wondering."

"Everything's going to be fine, Mom. We're going to help them, and they won't have to deal with them anymore," Cynthia said, trying to reassure her. She had to admit, she was a little surprised at the interest her mother took in the children. Sure, she knew she'd want to help, but she couldn't help notice how protective Kristin had become in the few short days she'd been there.

Kristin nodded. "I know."

At that moment, their meals had arrived, and the two ate while exchanging smalltalk about the children. After their meal, they continued the conversation until the time came where it was safe enough to return to the orphanage.

Upon their return, they stopped to talk with General Thomas for a few moments.

"Doctor, Cynthia," General Thomas said.

"Hello," both Kristin and Cynthia greeted him.

"Is it safe to go in?"

General Thomas nodded. "Yes, Mr. McKenzie left about twenty minutes ago." However, his voice had a hesitant tone, as though he knew something he didn't want to reveal.

"Is something wrong?" Kristin asked.

"Well, he didn't leave alone."

Cynthia nodded knowingly. She turned to Kristin, who seemed confused. "Sometimes, he takes some of the children with him, especially when they decided they need more 'workers'."

"After today, we aren't going to hesitate any longer. If it's true what you say about them coming at the same time everyday, then we should be able to do this tomorrow. Do you think that's OK?"

"Of course," Cynthia answered. "We can have everyone meet at my condo tonight to work out final details."

"That'd be fine," General Thomas answered. "We'll see you later."

"Thank you, General," Kristin and Cynthia muttered as they walked across the street to the orphanage.

"So, there may be some missing children then?" Kristin asked before they entered.

"Yeah, we're kind of used to it by now. You won't be too upset, will you?"

Kristin sighed and answered honestly, "It depends on whom they've taken."

As soon as they got inside, Kristin headed upstairs to check on _'her angels'_, but she was surprised by what she saw.

Little Kristen was sitting on the bed _alone_ and sobbing quietly. Kristin immediately sat down next to her and pulled her into her arms.

"What's the matter, Sweetheart?" she asked quietly as she rubbed her back and tried to calm her down.

Through sobs, little Kristen replied, "Mr. 'Kenzie...he, he...took...Harry! He said...he said...he wants...to get...some use...out of him before...he dies!"

* * *

><p>After calming Kristen down, Kristin said, "Wait here, Sweetheart. I'll be right back."<p>

But as Kristin turned, little Kristen grabbed Kristin's waist tightly. "Please don't leave me too."

Kristin gently removed the girl's hands from her waist and knelt down before her. "I promise I'm not leaving you, alright? I'm just going go downstairs for a minute and talk to Miss Cynthia. Do you trust me to come right back?"

Little Kristen nodded.

"Good," Kristin said. She gave the girl a gentle hug and kiss and handed her a book off the shelf. "Why don't you take a look at this until I get back, hm?"

"OK," the girl replied.

Kristin lingered in the doorway for a few extra seconds to be sure the girl would be alright before she hurried downstairs.

"Cynthia!" Kristin called as she reached the lobby.

Upon hearing her mother's voice, Cynthia popped her head out of the doorway of the play area. "Mom? What's wrong?"

"It's Harry. They've taken Harry," Kristin said, nearly in tears herself. "He's sick; he shouldn't be out there."

"Mom, are you sure? Are you sure they didn't just take him to the doctor?" Cynthia asked.

She shook her head. "No, Kristen told me that McKenzie told her that they want some use out of him before he dies."

Cynthia shook her head sadly and was silent for a moment. "Well, there's not much we can do. I know it's hard, but we aren't sure where they take them. Normally, the kids return by the end of the day. Harry will probably just come back with some 'supplies' that's he's supposed to sell."

"So you're telling me to just sit around and wait? _Wait_? Cynthia, he's _sick_. He should be resting."

"I know that, Mom," Cynthia countered, "and I _know _how hard it is. You forget, I do this _all _the time. You can't just go searching the island for them."

Kristin thought for a moment. "Why can't I?"

"Mom, no. How are you-"

"Look, I made a promise to them that I would help them, protect them. And, I'm not breaking it now. I'm going back upstairs for now, but I want to borrow your car later."

Cynthia was about to argue some more, but she knew there was no bargaining with her mother when she got an idea in her head. "Alright," Cynthia finally conceded.

Kristin was pleased that little Kristen was tear-free when she returned. "How are you doing, Honey?"

"A-alright," the girl replied meekly. "I'm still worried about Harry though."

"I know, Sweetie, me too. But, don't worry. I'm going to find him and bring him back.

Little Kristen brightened. "Really?"

Kristin nodded. "Yes, I promise. But that means I'll have to leave for a little while. Is that OK?"

Little Kristen hesitated. "You'll come back, right?"

"Of course, Honey. I promise. I'll be back soon."


	9. Innocence Maintained

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, 'Innocence Maintained' by Jewel: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch ?v(equals) 6TZ2O7I9JfQ&feature (equals) results (underscore) video&playnext (equals) 1&list (equals) PL81875A1448068D78. This is not the version I prefer since I'm not a fan of live versions, but this was all I could find. Thank you.**

**Chaper 9**

As Kristin started driving around, she wasn't exactly sure where she was going; nor, was she sure she'd actually find Harry, but she was hopeful. And, if she _did _find Harry, she wasn't sure how she'd explain herself to Mr. McKenzie or anyone else who was with him. She just told herself she'd figure it out once she found Harry.

First, she drove to the area of town where they had found Christopher's body. Kristin parked the car on the side of the street and got out. She hadn't really had a second thought about being a woman walking through a not-so-safe area alone, but as she noticed that she was being stared at by several people along standing along the street, she began to feel a little intimidated. However, she tried to remember the reason she was there in the first place and pushed the other thoughts aside. In the meantime, she kept her eyes peeled for Harry.

She walked for several blocks, thinking that there was no chance she was ever going to find them after all. She silently began chastising herself as she walked just one more block. And, as if her prayers were answered, she did see little Harry, looking so small and tiny standing on the street corner along with a large man and another boy who was much older than Harry, possibly thirteen or fourteen.

Kristin felt nothing but ire when she saw what Harry was being forced to do, as he was obviously having to sell drugs. Even though she wanted to go to him and start yelling at the man, whom she deduced was Mr. McKenzie, she did her best not to go over and start lecturing him right away. She tried to come up with a plan, one that wouldn't compromise the mission.

She crossed the busy street to the side that Harry and McKenzie were on. However, she pretended as though she had no interest in them or their activities. Kristin only hoped that Harry wouldn't recognize her. She pretended to be window-shopping in some of the shops that were along the street when, suddenly, Jacob McKenzie whistled and said, "Hey, good-lookin', what's a fine thing like you doin' in _this_ part of town?"

Kristin turned, not exactly sure he was referring to her. "Are-are you talking to _me_?" she asked.

McKenzie laughed. "Yeah, I'm talkin' to you. You're too good to be over here."

Kristin walked a little closer to him. Her eyes met Harry's, and she gave him a slight wink. He nodded knowingly and pretended not to take much notice of her anymore. "And how would _you _know how good I am?"

McKenzie looked her up and down in a way Kristin didn't particularly like, but she kept her cool. "Well, let's just say you don't look like the typical woman we see in these parts. Are you lost?"

"N-no, not exactly. You see, I'm a doctor, and I do some charity work in this area for those who can't afford helathcare. I've actually finished for the day, and I-"

"Y-you're a doctor?" McKenzie asked in surprise. He tried to block her view from Harry. "You work at the Andros hospital?"

Kristin laughed softly. "Where else would I work?"

"Yeah, well, you really shouldn't be in this area alone. It's not exactly safe."

"Well, thank you for your concern," she said. And pretended to be on her way, as she started walking past them, when she suddenly pretended to first notice the children. "Harry! Is that you?" She immediately crouched down before him.

"You know Harry here then?" McKenzie asked nonchalantly.

"Yes, I know him," Kristin said angrily, standing back up and turning towards McKenzie. "And may I ask what he's doing here? He should really be resting. Didn't he just have a treatment?"

"A few days ago, yeah," McKenzie answered, taken aback by Kristin's aggressiveness. "Listen, Lady, my boss, the owner of the orphanage said the doctor told him that it would be good for him to get some fresh air." Then a thought came to him. "Are _you _his doctor?"

"No, I'm not," Kristin admitted. "But I do know Harry, and I am familiar with his case. I have taken care of him on occasion." This wasn't exactly a lie. "And, I'm sure the doctor meant a brief walk, not standing on a street corner in the hot sun all afternoon in a busy intersection. What exactly are they doing anyway?" Kristin knew full-well what they were doing, but she wanted to see if McKenzie would tell her the truth.

"Candy bars," McKenzie said. "We're selling candy bars to raise money for the orphanage. I tried to make Harry stay in bed, but the little guy insisted on doing his part. He's such a trooper, isn't he?"

Kristin sighed. "Yes, well, that's all well and good, but _you _are the adult, and you need to act like it. I suggest you get him back in bed immediately."

"I'm sorry," McKenzie answered. "Really. I'll get him back later; I promise."

Kristin crossed her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't believe you. I would like you to take him back _now_. I'm sure there must be another child who could volunteer to take his place."

"Look, Lady, I don't think you know who you're talking to. I said I'll get him back in bed soon, and I meant it. Now I think you can go about your business and leave us alone."

Kristin was extremely angry, but Jacob McKenzie was right-she didn't know who she was talking to. And further more, she didn't know all he was capable of. Although she didn't like it, there was little more she could do without compromising her true intentions. "Alright," she finally said. "Just please make sure he gets plently of rest otherwise, hm? And don't think I won_'t _tell his doctor about this."

She knelt in front of Harry once more. He whispered, "I'm fine."

Kristin nodded, feeling tears well up in her eyes. She stood up and turned back to McKenzie. "Just take care of him, alright? You don't know how special he is."

McKenzie was shocked by her emotion as he said, "You got it, Lady. Whatever you say."

So, Kristin had to drive back to the orphanage and admit to everyone that she couldn't get Harry back, at least not at the moment.

"He did promise he'd bring him back later," Kristin said to Cynthia.

"I'm sure he will, Mom. Harry can't be working through all hours of the night, and I'm sure they know that." Cynthia was trying to reassure her mother, who was still upset.

Kristin nodded. "I suppose I ought to go tell Kristen that I failed," she said miserably.

"You didn't fail. And just remember we'll have to leave soon."

"Right," she said. "I won't be long."

When Kristin arrived at the top of the stairs, she saw little Kristen playing quietly with her dolls. She heard movement and turned to her with a smile. She ran to her and gave her a tight hug. "I missed you," she said. "Did you bring Harry back?"

Kristin sighed as tears threatened to fall. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart," she said, "but no. I did talk to him though."

Kristen nodded sadly. "I didn't think you would. Is he alright?"

"He said he was fine. Mr. McKenzie promised to bring him back soon, but I couldn't bring him back without too many questions. You do understand, don't you?"

"Yeah, I guess so. Miss Maggie, Miss Crystal, Miss Cynthia, and Mister Malique all had a talk with us a while ago. They told us that we're all leaving tomorrow."

"That's right," Kristin confirmed. "And, you won't have to worry about Mr. Mangos or Mr. McKenzie or anyone else after that."

"And Harry and I will get a mommy and daddy then?"

Kristin nodded. "I promise you that you will get a mommy and daddy that love you very much."

Little Kristen was silent for a moment, as she let it all sink in. Then, she wrapped her arms tightly around Kristin's neck and said, "I love you."

Kristin returned the hug and with deep emotion answered, "I love you too, Sweetheart. I love you too."

After spending as much time with her as she could, it finally came time for everyone to leave the orphanage again. "I'll see you tomorrow," Kristin said to Kristen.

"Do you promise?"

"Of course," she said. "Now be a good girl, hm?"

Little Kristen nodded and got back to playing with her dolls. Kristin had to admit it was getting more difficult for her to leave each time, but she was looking forward to the next day, hoping she would never have to deal with that again.

Then, Cynthia, Malique, Maggie, Crystal, General Thomas and his team, and Kristin all headed back to Cynthia's condo to work out last-minute details for the mission.

"We'll start after lunchtime," General Thomas explained. "That should give us plenty of time to get the children off the island. The UEO will have a launch to take them and the rest of you," Thomas said, referring to Cynthia, Malique, Maggie, Crystal, and Kristin, "to a secure location. Then, my team and I will work on capturing Mangos. Does anyone have any questions?"

"Where exactly are they taking us?" Cynthia asked.

"The UEO has decided that Nassau is the safest area."

Cynthia nodded knowingly.

Thomas continued to go through the details until everyone decided that they'd discussed it enough.

"Well, we'll see you tomorrow then," Thomas said, as everyone began leaving.

"Thank you, General," Cynthia answered.

"You're quite welcome. If we can save those children, it will all be worth while. Good night."

Kristin sighed. She was still worried about the children, especially Harry and Kristen, and she hoped everything would go smoothly.


	10. Let It Be

**A/N: I'd just like to let readers know that I value your recognition and respect, and I greatly appreciate the fact that you're reading. I'd especially like to thank reviewers, who take the time to tell me what they like about the story. And, it's always a confidence boost. Thank you.**

**Inspiration for this chapter, 'Let It Be' by Carol Woods and Timothy T: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch ?v (equals) Z4bib4PBqGA**

**Chapter 10**

Neither Kristin nor Cynthia slept very well. However, they both rose early to get to the orphanage. The two drove in near silence until Cynthia parked the car.

Before getting out of the vehicle, Cynthia turned to her mother. "Well, this is it. Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be. I just hope this works," Kristin replied.

"Me too," Cynthia said. "Mom?"

"Yes?"

"If anything happens, just make sure the children get to safety."

Kristin stared at her daughter for a moment, unsure of what to say. After a few moments, she found her voice once again. "You think something is going to go wrong?"

"We all know it's a possiblilty," Cynthia said. "Sure, it sounds easy when we talk about it, but...well, we never know. But I need you to promise me that if anything happens to me, you just make sure the children get off the island. Don't worry about me."

"Cynthia, you're my _daughter_. How can I not worry?" Kristin began.

Cynthia sighed. "But, I'm also an adult. Worry about the children first. Please?"

"Nothing's going to happen," Kristin said, but she didn't sound very convincing.

"Mom, please."

"I can't promise anything," Kristin admitted. "But, the children will take priority no matter what happens. That goes for you too if anything happens to me, hm?"

Cynthia hesitated slightly. "A-alright." She hadn't really considered that something could happen to her own mother, and she began to feel slightly uneasy. There was a brief moment of silence.

Kristin finally broke it. "Well, there's no need to speculate what if. We don't want to worry the children. Everything _will_ be fine. We _have_ to believe that."

Cynthia nodded. "You're right. There's nothing to worry about."

And, with that, the two exited the car and entered the orphanage. The children were extremely exited on this particular day for they knew it was the day of their freedom.

"Just remember you can't tell Mr. McKenzie, Mr. Mangos, or Mr. Psilinakis," Cynthia said.

All the children chorused, "We know."

Kristin searched the group of children for Kristen or Harry. When she didn't see either one, she quietly slipped away and headed upstairs. She was somewhat hesitant when she reached the door and saw it was closed. A sudden hint of fear washed over her, worried that Harry wouldn't be there, worried that he'd been taken once again.

She finally mustered up the courage to go in, so she gently knocked on the door. She didn't receive an answer, so she knocked a bit louder. Still, she received no answer, so she turned the handle and opened the door. But, she was relieved to see both Harry and Kristen lying in peaceful sleep on the bed. She quietly walked in and sat down on the edge of the bed, trying not to wak them. However, she wanted to be the first person she saw when they did awaken.

A short time later, little Kristen opened her eyes and sat up. She smiled when she saw Kristin. "Hi," she said.

"Hello, Sweetheart. How are you feeling today?"

"Happy," the girl replied as she stood up and stretched. Harry came back just like you said. And, Mr. McKenzie said he was sorry."

"You didn't tell him about us, did you?"

Little Kristen shook her head. "Uh-uh."

"Good girl. Do you need help getting dressed?" Kristin asked.

"No thank you. Can we go downstairs and play today?" Kristen asked as she grabbed some clean clothes out of the dresser and headed to the bathroom to change.

"If that's what you'd like," Kristin called.

A few brief moments later, Kristen emerged from the bathroom. "If Harry agrees to come downstairs, then yes."

"What do you want me to do?" Harry mumbled groggily as he sat up. Then, noticing Kristin, he greeted her, "Hi."

"Hey there. How are you feeling?"

"Much better," Harry replied. "The medicine that Mr. Malique bought helped, thanks to you. And, Mr. McKenzie promised not to take me out to sell 'candy bars' anymore."

"Well, hopefully, we won't have to worry about that anymore after today anyway. So, are you feeling up to going downstairs then?" Kristin asked.

Kristen held her ands together as though she were begging and said, "Please?"

"Alright," Harry finally agreed. "Just give me a few minutes to get dressed."

Kristen jumped up and down and cheered.

And so, the three went downstairs a short time later and played. Before they knew it, it was time for Kristin to leave for a short time.

"I'll see you two later, OK?"

They both nodded as their excitement was building, the excitement that meant their lives were about to change.

* * *

><p>After lunch, General Thomas and his team took the lead and started directing all the civilian members of the mission. Each member was in charge of a group of children. Naturally, Harry and Kristen were in Kristin's group.<p>

After all groups were gathered they all walked outside. General Thomas got everyone's attention and said, "Alright, now I want all of you to walk single file to the beach. Act naturally, and follow the adult leading your group, understand? My team will stay near you and make sure Mr. Mangos or his cronies don't decide to come back early."

As those words were uttered, everyone started moving. However, it suddenly seemed as though the mission was doomed from the start because they heard a gruff male voice say, "And just where the _hell_ do you think _you're_ going?"

Immediately, General Thomas and his team drew their weapons and pointed them. The children and civilian adults stopped dead in their tracks, unsure of what to do.

"Mr. Mangos," General Thomas said, "Stop right there."

But, Mangos wasn't alone. Not only were McKenzie and Psilinakis with him, but he also had several other men with him as well. And, they all had guns..._big guns_. And, they all drew their weapons as well.

"Oh, I don't think so," Mangos said evilly. "I see what you're trying to do, and you're not going to do it. If any of them make a single move, we'll open fire. And, we won't show mercy."

"Mr. Mangos, I'm ordering you to drop your weapons," General Thomas answered. "Call your men off; the children are innocent, and there's no point in spilling innocent blood."

Mangos laughed. "None of you stand down," he said to his cohorts. "Well, we don't want to back down, and neither do you. Seems there's only one way to settle this."

He raised his hand in the air, and General Thomas sensed exactly what was going to happen. All he could do was yell, "Run!" to the children and the civilians as both sides opened fire.


	11. You Don't Count the Cost

**A/N: Inspiration for this song, 'You Don't Count The Cost' by Billy Dean: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) SnePGwxaySw**

**Chapter 11**

Kristin felt like everything was happening in slow motion. As the gunshots raced past her, the only thing that went through her mind at the moment was trying to protect her group of children. She only hoped the others did the same.

She did manage to get her group away from the gunfire, even though it was about ten yards away behind the orphanage. She instructed them all to lie down and cover their heads for protection. It broke her heart that they were obviously frightened. Many of them were crying, but there wasn't much she could do at the moment. She slowly crept back so she could have a clear view of what was going on. Maggie had managed to get her group of children near Kristin's as well. Crystal did the same.

"Watch them," Kristin instructed them, referring to the children. Maggie and Crystal both nodded.

As she made her way back to the other side of the orphanage, she was relieved to find that the gunfire had subsided. Unfortunately, it didn't look good for General Thomas' team as they were lying on the ground. Kristin gulped and silently prayed they weren't dead.

She scanned the area for Cynthia and Malique but didn't see them. The children that they were in charge of were still on the side of the orphanage, lying on the ground. Some were moving, a good sign. But, some were lying in pools of blood, causing Kristin's heart to sink.

Suddenly, she heard a noise, and she turned her attention to the street.

She saw both Cynthia and Malique. They were being pushed into the back of one of Mangos' SUV's, obviously being taken hostage. Kristin started running towards them, now afraid for her daughters' safety, but the SUV started speeding away. She watched helplessly as her own daughter was taken out of her sight. She thought she heard Cynthia yell, "Take care of the children."

Kristin felt helpless for a few moments, but she realized it wasn't the time for misery. She had to be strong and figure out what to do next. She immediately rushed back to General Thomas and the others and did her best to assess injuries. As she was searching General Thomas for some kind of PAL or other communication system, she was surprised when he opened his eyes, despite the fact that he'd been shot in the chest.

"D-doctor?" he said weakly.

"Oh my God," she replied. "Thank goodness you're alright."

He nodded. "Well, that's a matter of opinion." Then he added, "I'm sorry."

"Yes, well, this isn't really time for apologies. Is there a way I can contact the other team? We've a lot of injuries here," Kristin said.

General Thomas nodded and motioned towards his pocket. General Thomas slipped back out of consciousness as Kristin contacted the other team.

Hours later, Kristin found herself in Nassau General Hospital. The injured were air-lifted there, and the children who weren't injured were transferred a secure location-a UEO sanctioned shelter. Maggie and Crystal were with them while Kristin felt obligated to stay with the General Thomas and the others. Fortunately, there were only a handful of deaths, considering the number of fatalities they could have had. Still, it was sad to lose the fifteen they did, two of them being UEO officers.

After everyone was accounted for, and Kristin finally had a few moments to herself, to think about her own loss, she finally allowed it to sink in. She promptly left the waiting room and went into the ladies' room. To her relief, it was empty. She was in so much emotional pain, she couldn't hide it anymore. She felt her knees buckle as she slid to the floor and sobbed, sobbed for the ones who lost their lives, sobbed for the botched mission, and above all, she sobbed for her lost daughter.

After several long moments, she ceased her crying. She knew she had to find Cynthia, but she couldn't do it alone. She decided she'd have to speak with General Thomas and go from there. She walked to the reception desk, deciding that enough may have passed where she might be able to see General Thomas.

"Are you family?" the nurse asked, smiling.

Kristin thought for a moment. She knew if she answered 'no', her chances of being allowed to visit the general were slim to none, so she nodded. "Yes, I'm his wife."

"Oh, right this way," the nurse replied sweetly.

Kristin smiled inwardly. Sure, she'd have a bit of explaining to do, but she had her reasons.

As they approached the room, the nurse said, "Mr. Thomas, your wife is here to see you."

"My _wife_?" General Thomas replied. "I think-"

"Oh, Sweetheart, I was so worried about you," Kristin immediately said, appearing around the corner so Thomas could see her. She gave him a kiss on the cheek for effect.

"Oh, don't worry, Honey, I'll be fine," General Thomas finally said, catching on.

The nurse smiled and said, "I'll give you a few moments alone then."

After the nurse was out of sight, Thomas turned back to Kristin with a raised eyebrow. "My _wife_?"

"I know," Kristin said, "and, I'm sorry. But it was the only way they'd let me see you. And, I need to talk to you."

"What's the big emergency?"

"Mangos and his men have taken Cynthia and Malique. I need some help," Kristin said with a desperate tone.

Thomas sighed. "I feel for your situation. I really do. But, I'm not sure what I can do from where I am."

"Well, I was hoping you could tell me who to talk to now. I need to find Mangos."

"Well, now that we found him once, I'm sure he'll be making himself even more scarce now," Thomas said. "Why not just ask Captain Bridger or Admiral Noyce for help?"

Kristin shook her head. "No, I can't. The new _seaQuest_ still isn't finished. Besides, I've made a decision, and I'm not sure how to break it to them yet."

"What's that?"

"I-I'm not returning for the second tour."

Thomas was taken aback. "Are you sure?"

Kristin nodded sadly. "I know it's not ideal, but I'm not...I _can't _go back to work knowing my daughter is lost somewhere. I couldn't possibly be any use to the captain or anyone else in this condition."

"Well, since I'm not going anywhere anytime soon," Thomas said, "I can tell you to start with General Rogers. He's the head of the Nassau team. I can't say for sure if they know where Mangos has gone, but they could give you and idea."

Kristin nodded. "I just need someone to tell me what to do. Where do I go from here?"

Thomas was thoughtful for a moment. Then he continued. "There is something you could do, but I'm not sure you'll like it."

"Try me," Kristin said.

As general Thomas told her his idea, he was absolutely correct. Kristin didn't like it, but it seemed like a plausible plan. And, at the moment, Kristin knew she had to try it as she'd do anything to see her daughter again, even though it would mean a great sacrifice.


	12. I Know Where I've Been

**A/N: It came to my attention that chapter 11 didn't post properly. Half of it was missing for some reason. I have reposted the whole chapter. I ask that you reread it if you already read the first one, and I apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you for reading. As always, I appreciate it.**

**Inspiration for this chapter, 'I Know Where I've Been' from _Hairspray_: http (colon)(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) 5OVyoScw2a4**

**Chapter 12**

Kristin knew what she had to do, and she knew it wasn't going to be easy. But, she just kept thinking about Cynthia and Malique. She hoped and prayed they were still alive and well. And, then, she thought how wonderful it would be when she succeeded. She never thought _if _she succeeded; she only thought of getting her daughter and friend back safe and sound.

As she left the hospital, she had a gameplan in her mind. First, she needed to see Kristen and Harry and say goodbye. No, it wasn't goodbye for good, but she knew she's have to go away for awhile, and she didn't know when she'd be able to see them again. After that, she'd need to meet with General Rogers, the head of the UEO team in Nassau. She hailed a taxi and got in.

Once she reached the shelter where the children were on the UEO base, Kristin walked towards the grey building. There were several UEO soldiers out front for security. Kristin had to be cleared before entering. The children were extremely excited to see her when she walked inside, however.

"Miss Kristin, Miss Kristin," they shouted happily as they hugged her.

"Oh, I'm happy to see all of you too. But," she said gently removing their arms from her, "I need to speak with Miss Maggie and Miss Crystal for a moment, alright? Then, I'll come talk with you."

The children obliged, and the three women walked into the small kitchen area where the children couldn't hear them talk.

"Any word about Cynthia or Malique?" Maggie asked quietly.

Kristin shook her head sadly. "No, that's why I need to come see you. I'll be going away for a while."

"What?" Crystal said.

"I-I'm going to try and find them, but that means I have to separate myself from all of you. If everything works to plan, I'll be able to visit. But, for now, this will be the last time we see each other for a while," Kristin said.

"What do we do until then?" Crystal asked worriedly.

"Just do what you've always done," Kristin continued, "Take care of the children. They're safe now, and the UEO will continue to see to that."

"How are going to find them?" Maggie asked.

"I can't go into details right now. Just trust me."

The two younger women nodded, and the three went back to the children.

Kristin took Harry and Kristen aside.

"So, are you two alright?" she asked.

They both nodded. "Are your friends alright?" Harry asked.

"Most of them, yes," Kristin told them.

"Some of our friends died," Kristen said sadly.

"I-I know, Sweetie," Kristin said, wrapping her arms around her. "But, I'm sure they're in Heaven now."

"With the angels," Kristen agreed.

Kristin sighed and brought Harry into the hug as well. She found herself nearly in tears when she released them. "I need to talk to you. You know I love you two very much, right?"

"We love you too," Kristen said. Harry nodded in agreement.

"And, even when I'm gone, I want you to remember that," Kristin said, her voice trembling.

"Gone?" Kristen asked in dismay.

"Where are you going?" Harry said.

"I-I...I promise I'll be back soon. I need to find Miss Cynthia and Mr. Malique. Mr. Mangos took them. Did you know that?"

The two children shook their heads.

"We thought they were at the hospital with you," Harry said.

"I wish they had been," Kristin admitted. "But, no, they weren't. So, now I need to go away to find them. But I _will _find them. And, I'm going to bring them back safe and sound. And, then, we'll be together again."

"A-are you saying we'll be together always?" Harry asked.

"Like a family?" Kristen asked hopefully.

"I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that happens," Kristin told them. "But, while I'm gone, you two be good. You mind Miss Maggie and Miss Crystal. And, I'll come back and see you as soon as I can." Kristin's tears were flowing freely now as she was no longer able to hold them back.

Harry and Kristen were crying too, and they hugged Kristin tightly. They stayed this way for several long, lingering moments. Finally, however, Kristin had to find the strength to pull away. She had work to do, and she couldn't stay with the children at the moment, even though a part of her wanted that more than anything.

"I have to go," she said to them, wiping her eyes. She pulled away from the two crying children, and that broke her heart. "I love you," she said as she stood. "Always remember that." With that, she pulled away and quickly left the shelter, leaving them in the care of Maggie and Crystal.

After regaining her composure, she asked around the base about General Rogers. A young gentleman said, "Right this way, Ma'am." And, he led Kristin to a different building filled with offices. After walking down a long corridor, the young man said, "Here you are."

"Thank you," she said to him as he nodded and was on his way. Kristin knocked on the door gently.

"Come in," a feminine voice said.

Kristin was immediately taken aback. She'd expected General Rogers to be a man. Kristin turned the handle to see a lovely petite woman, and she smiled gently at Kristin.

"Hello, can I help you?" she asked.

Kristin cleared her throat and said, "General Rogers? I'm Dr. Kristin Westphalen. I was working with General Thomas on Andros. He said I should find you."

"Dr. Westphalen?" General Rogers extended her hand and Kristin took it, "I'm General Carolyn Rogers. We needn't be so formal. Call me Carolyn. Is it alright if I call you Kristin?"

"That would be fine," Kristin said, feeling more at ease.

"Please have a seat," General Rogers motioned towards a chair.

Kristin sat down, and General Rogers sat across from her. "So what can I do for you?"

"Well, my daughter, Cynthia, and her friend, Malique...well, they've been taken. After the mission was sabotaged by Mangos, they were taken in the commotion. I haven't any idea where they are, and General Thomas said you might have been keeping tabs on them?"

"Well, first, let me offer my sympathies. I can't imagine what you're going through," General Rogers said. "Second, we lost sight of them. Mangos could be miles away by now. Or he could be right under our noses."

"Well, perhaps I can be of assistance," Kristin said as she proceeded to tell General Rogers about General Thomas' plan.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" General Rogers asked when Kristin had finished.

Kristin nodded. "I'll do anything for my daughter."

"Well, we'd love to have someone on the inside. But, you could be undercover for months, you realize?"

Kristin nodded. "I know."

"My team is trying to find Mangos as we speak. We'll be in touch."


	13. Remember When

**A/N: Inspiration for this chapter, 'Remember When' by Avril Lavigne: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) 5GkhEbmRodE**

**Chapter 13**

Kristin took a launch from Nassau back to Andros to retrieve her bags from Cynthia's condo. General Rogers had booked Kristin a hotel room in Nassau for the time being until further action could be taken. Kristin took her time repacking because she was trying to avoid what she had to do next. Nathan was in the dark about everything. She hadn't even spoken with him yesterday since she was too exhausted. Now was the time for her to come clean.

She finished packing and headed to the vid-phone. As she dialed the number, the tried to mentally prepare some of what she was going to say. She knew she wouldn't be able to devulge the details of the undercover mission she was about to undertake. However, she did have a lot to tell him.

She was both relieved and hurt to see Nathan's face appear on the screen. She just about lost it right there and began sobbing, but she did her best to regain her composure.

"Hi, Sweetheart," Nathan said. Then, he noticed that Kristin basically looked like she'd been through hell. She was still wearing the clothes she'd been wearing that afternoon, and they were dirty and slightly blood-stained. "What the hell happened?" he asked in surprise. "Is that blood on your shirt?"

Kristin nodded sadly. "We had some problems with the mission," she said quietly.

"My God! Are you alright? Was anyone _hurt_?"

"There were some fatalities, two of them UEO officers that worked under General Thomas. General Thomas is in the hospital, along with the rest of the team. And, there are several children who were wounded as well. They're in the hospital in Nassau at the moment. And the rest of the children are safe now."

"What happened?"

"Somehow, Mangos and his buddies found out what we were doing, and they were waiting for us. They opened fire on us, and we were outnumbered," Kristin's voice began shaking as her eyes filled with tears.

"You must have been so scared," Nathan said. "I'm so sorry you went through that, but it sounds like everything's fine now."

Kristin shook her head as her tears began to fall. "Th-that's not the worst part. Mangos fled, and he took hostages-Cynthia and Malique."

Nathan was silent for a moment. "Look, the seaQuest can launch in three days. You get back here, and our first can be a rescue mission. Everything will be fine."

Kristin brushed away her tears. It _did _sound like an ideal solution, but it wasn't going to be that easy, not that cut and dry. "That's not going to work."

"What?" Nathan asked.

"Nathan, the UEO has _no idea_ where Mangos is now. And, I've made a decision that I need you to understand."

"OK, and that is?"

"I-I'm resigning from _seaQuest_," she began, her tears threatening to fall, causing her voice to be thick and shaky once again. "Nathan, you have to understand I'm _dying _inside right now. I can't possibly _work _in this state. And, I can't possibly be a good doctor at the moment. I can't possibly be any use to _you_ at the moment." Kristin couldn't hold back any longer as she began sobbing freely.

After several moments, she was able to calm down enough to listen to Nathan. "How can you think that?" he asked.

"W-what do you mean?" Kristin asked through her tears.

"How can you think you'd never be any use to me? That could _never_ be true. I love you, and you _know_ that. But, I really don't think leaving _seaQuest_ is the answer."

Kristin started to become frustrated. She didn't want to hurt Nathan, but she didn't want anymore pain at the moment. "Nathan, you have no idea what I'm going through." She immediately regretted it for she realized Nathan _did _know. She quickly added, "I'm sorry. I-I forgot."

Nathan nodded, trying to remain calm with her, considering her fragile state. "Well, I can understand you feeling you need to get away. I'm sure the UEO would grant you a leave-"

"No," Kristin said, nearly shouting. "You're not listening to me, Nathan. I'm sorry, but I'm not changing my mind."

Nathan didn't know what to say as Kristin's words finally sunk in. He finally said, "Kristin, Honey, please don't do this. The _seaQuest_ needs you. I need you."

"Nathan, don't make this harder than it _has_ to be. I am _so_ sorry. I don't _want_ to leave, but I have to find my daughter," Kristin said.

"Where are you going to go?"

"I-I'm not sure," Kristin said. "But I will find her."

Nathan nodded in understanding. Then he asked, "So, what does this mean for _us_?"

Kristin sighed a painful sigh. "Nathan, I love you so much, but I think it's best if-"

"That's not what I want," Nathan said quickly, anticipating Kristin's thought.

Kristin shook her head. "Nathan, you deserve _more_. You deserve to be happy. I can't do that right for you right now. I love you _so _much; the last thing I'd _ever _want to do is hurt you. But, this is something we just couldn't forsee."

Nathan was now nearly in tears himself. "I'll never love anyone else."

"Don't say that. Don't live in misery because we're not together."

Nathan shook his head. "It's the truth."

"I wish things could be different. I wish this had never happened," Kristin said. "Maybe some day, we'll meet again."

"What about Lucas?" Nathan asked, trying desperately to get her to change her mind still.

"Just tell him I love him, Nathan. And tell him I'm sorry. Tell Admiral Noyce I'll fax my resignation over shortly. Nathan, I'll always love you, but I need you to understand."

Nathan tried; he really did. He found himself nodding in agreement, but he was trying to capture the moment, trying to save it because he didn't want to say goodbye. But, they both knew the moment was near. "I'll always love you too."

"I hope to see you again someday," Kristin said. "I love you so much, and I'll never forget you. Goodbye." With that, Kristin cut the link, shedding a few more tears over her lost love. She quickly wiped them away, however, because she had so much to do now.

Nathan sat in front of the vid-screen for a long time, even after it had gone blank. He was trying to remember every feature on her face, every word she'd said, every breath she'd taken. He didn't want to forget, didn't want to lose the love. But, he had, and there was little he could do. He finally stood up and sighed sadly. He had to deliver the sad news to the crew.


	14. Revolver

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, 'Revolver' by Madonna and Lil' Wayne: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) dStAECnSTyg**

**Chapter 14**

**One week later**

Kristin worked closely with General Rogers and her team to try and find Mangos' whereabouts. Although they didn't find him, they already knew he had people working for him all over Andros. General Rogers decided it was time for Kristin to pay up on her promises.

"Are you ready to go undercover?" General Rogers asked.

Kristin didn't hesitate. "Yes."

"Well, in that case, you're going to need a makeover."

"W-what?" Kristin asked in surprise.

General Rogers laughed slightly. "What do you think _undercover_ means, Dear?" Then she got serious and said, "Mangos and some of his cohorts already know you. They know what you look like; they've seen your face. We'll need to dye your hair. How do you feel about going blonde?"

Kristin was a little shocked. "I-I..."

General Rogers continued, "We have a list of certain hangouts Mangos prefers. And, if there's one thing he loves more than money and corruption, it's women. And, he_ loves _blondes. Look, we no one knows where Mangos is, but we can bet he's going to show up when he craves a woman's company. You need to make sure you're _that_ woman. Do you think you can handle that?"

Kristin was speechless. She knew working undercover was going to be difficult, but she didn't expect this.

General Rogers placed a gentle hand on Kristin's. "Kristin, I know you can do this. Of course, you'll be wired the _whole_ time. If we're lucky, Mangos will take you home, and well...we'll be able to save your daughter and her friend."

"W-would I have to-to _sleep _with him?" Kristin asked hesitantly.

"Kristin, the UEO would _never_ suggest you do that. However, you need to make him _believe _you will. String him along; be a tease. You're a woman; you know what I'm talking about. If Mangos likes you, he'll wait until you're ready. That can give us time to observe him and figure out a plan. All you need to do is act. Be a sex symbol. Think Marilyn Monroe."

Kristin nodded. "A-alright. Do you know any good hairdressers?"

"I know just the place."

A short time later, Kristin and Carolyn were at a hair salon. Kristin was getting her lovely auburn locks dyed a shade of platinum blonde. Although Kristin thought it would look awful, she was actually surprised that she liked it when she looked in the mirror. Of course, she vowed the first thing she'd do when this was all over was dye her hair back to it's rightful color, but she definitely didn't hate the shade it was now like she thought she would.

"Wow!" Carolyn exclaimed when she saw the finished product. "You don't look like yourself anymore."

"That's the point, isn't it?" Kristin quipped.

Carolyn looked at Kristin's outfit. "Well, we'll definitely need to change that, won't we?"

"What's wrong with it?" Kristin wanted to know.

"Well, they're fine for a doctor, but not for a blonde bombshell. We'll need to go shopping," Carolyn said.

So, the two women headed for the shops. A short time later, Kristin was festooned in an evening gown in midnight blue with a plunging neckline. And, they picked up several others with similar qualities.

As Carolyn walked around Kristin looking her up and down, she said, "Now that's more like it."

Kristin nodded. "I suppose this is much better."

"Well, is it true?" Carolyn asked.

"What?"

"Do blondes really have more fun?"

Kristin laughed. "I'm not really sure if I've been one long enough to say." Then she added seriously, "Um, what happens if I'm caught?"

"Well, I'm sure you already know the answer to that. Just don't let that happen. If you want, I'd be willing to show you how to use a weapon for protection."

Kristin shook her head. "No, I'm not really comfortable with guns. Is there an alternative?"

"Mace?"

Kristin nodded. "That's fine, in case I need it, of course."

"Alright, then, I think we're set," Carolyn said. "We'll just have to get back to base and we'll meet up with Commander Ericson. He'll set up your wire and show you how to take care of it. Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Kristin admitted.

So, they paid for the dresses and headed back to the base.

An hour later, Kristin was wired and ready to go.

Carolyn handed her a suitcase. "I took the liberty of packing your bag for you. I hope that's alright." Then, she handed her an address. "This is the hotel I booked for you. You're room number 325. And these are all of Mangos' know hang-outs." Then, she handed her a PAL. "We'll use this to keep in touch with you. Do you have any questions?"

Kristin shook her head.

"Good," General Rogers said. "Well, Kristin, good luck."

After arriving in Andros, Kristin got a cab and found her hotel fairly quickly. She quickly unpacked, grabbed her purse and the list of hang-outs. She decided to try the first one, called 'Bahama Mamas'. "Sounds like a strip club," Kristin muttered. She silently prayed it wasn't as the cab pulled in front of a very chic-looking restaurant. She paid and thanked the driver.

She took deep breath and opened the door. After entering, she saw it reminded her of the gangster's hangouts one saw on old movies or televisions shows. As she walked by, she noticed all eyes were on her as she took a seat at the bar and ordered a drink.

A short time later, she heard a man's voice say, "I haven't seen you in here before."

To her surprise and joy, it was Mangos. "Well, I'm new in town. I was wondering if you'd show me around," she replied.

"Oh, it would be my pleasure." He sat down next to her. "So, what is a sweet thing like you doing here all alone?"

"Well, I recently broke up with my boyfriend," she said. "This seemed like a good place to make a new start."

Mangos' eyes lit up. "So, you're single?"

Kristin nodded.

"So, what's you're name?"

Kristin thought for a moment. She hadn't considered making up a name and wondered if she should. But, the only thing that stuck in her mind was 'Marilyn Monroe', and she couldn't use that. Sure, the guy might be a drug lord, but he wasn't stupid enough to believe that. She finally said, "Kristin."

"I'm Alex," he said taking her hand in his and giving it a gentle kiss.

"Nice to meet you, Alex," Kristin replied demurely.

"The pleasure's all mine."


	15. Serve the Ego

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, 'Serve the Ego' by Jewel: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) TeDnNpx9l6g**

**Chapter 15**

As Kristin continued to flirt with Alex, she found it easier to pretend to be someone else. Sure, she was still a woman who had lost everything she held dear in a short time, but she managed to push that aside. For now, she was a new Kristin, a different Kristin. She wasn't Kristin, medical doctor and accomplished scientist. She wasn't Kristin, Nathan Bridger's ex. She was Kristin, the blonde bombshell, Kristin, the man-eater, Kristin, the seductress. And, if she played her cards right, she'd be Kristin, Alex Mangos' girlfriend.

Of course, it was all an act, but she was playing the role well, even if she did say so herself. In college, she had dabbled in theatre. She even mused with the idea of becoming an actress for a short time. And, if it hadn't been for her love of science and for her love of healing others, she'd have taken to the stage for good. So, she just told herself that this was her stage at the moment. She just didn't know how long she'd have to pretend.

But, all that aside, Alexander Mangos was enamored by Kristin and her charms, and the two chatted for hours.

"So, are _you_ single?" Kristin asked him after a while.

Alex laughed. "You don't waste a minute do you?"

"Well, a girl has to wonder," she answered coyly.

"Oh, don't kid yourself. You are definitely not a girl; you're _all_ woman."

Kristin laughed throatily. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Indeed I would," Alex answered with a smile, but he was serious, "that is, if you want me."

Kristin gave him a 'cat that ate the canary' grin. "Oh, I do want you, but I'm _not _the kind of woman who jumps into bed with the first man she sees."

Alex was thoughtful for a moment. "I can respect that." Then he added, "I've never been with a woman who liked it slow."

Kristin raised an eyebrow. "And just how many women _have_ you been with?"

Alex laughed nervously. "Um...a lot."

"Well, I like a man with experience."

"Hm, and just how much experience _do_ you have?"

"A lady doesn't kiss and tell," she began. Then she added honestly, "Not as much as you might think."

Alex took her hand in his and said, "Don't worry; I'll be very gentle with you." He noticed her drink was empty, and he called the bartender over. "Another glass of wine for the lady, and I'll take another scotch on the rocks."

Kristin waved her hand in protest. "I think two glasses is enough for me."

But Alex said, "Please. I hate to drink alone."

"A-alright," Kristin conceded. "I will warn you though I can't hold my drink the way I used to. It's been a while."

"I promise I'll take care of you," Alex said.

So, the bartender brought them new drinks and the two sipped in silence for a moment.

Alex broke the silence. "So, do you like to dance?"

Kristin nodded.

Alex offered his arm to her. "Shall we?"

Kristin gave him a smile and accepted the offer. As they headed to the dance floor, Kristin couldn't help but notice that Alex _was_ charming. No wonder he'd had scores of women. She knew if she was going to get any information from him about the whereabouts of Cynthia and Malique, she'd have to continue promising intimacy. It was from this point on that she knew she'd being playing the role longer than she anticipated.

After several dances, Alex asked, "Are you hungry?"

"A little," Kristin admitted.

"Why don't we get a table, hm?"

So the two picked up their drinks and sat in a booth in the back of the dining area. It was quiet and intimate.

"So, what do you do for a living?" Kristin asked.

"Well, I'm an entrepreneur of sorts," he answered. "What about you?"

Kristin bit her lip, trying to think. She tried to think about what _this _Kristin, the pretend Kristin, would do for a living. But, she couldn't think of anything else but to say she was a doctor. "Would he buy it?" she wondered. She finally replied, "I'm a doctor, actually."

Alex was taken aback. "A doctor? Really?"

"Is that so surprising?" she asked, getting a little defensive.

"No, no, not at all. I think that's amazing actually. What kind of doctor?"

"Well, I'm both a medical doctor, and I also have a doctorate in marine biology," she replied, feeling more confident. There was no reason blonde bombshell Kristin couldn't be smart, was there? "But, I'm not working at the moment," she admitted.

"Wow! That's amazing, but why aren't you working?"

"Well, where I worked before, I was an independent researcher. I needed to find my own funding for my research, and my funding ran out." It wasn't a total lie.

This gave Alex an idea. "Tell you what," he said. "If you promise to give me another date, I'll promise to help you with your funding. Is that a deal?" He held his glass up, waiting for her to touch it with hers.

Kristin thought for a moment. She then brought her glass next to his a soft clink could be heard as they made contact. "Deal," she said with a smile.

"I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship," Alex said with a smile.

"Well, that's too bad," Kristin began.

Alex gave her a confused look.

"Because," Kristin continued, "I'm looking for more than just a friend."

Alex agreed, "As am I."

Their meals finally arrived, and they continued talking and laughing together. And, Kristin wasn't thinking straight as Alex ordered more drinks. As the drinks kept coming, Kristin began to lose her inhibitions. After more dancing, Alex asked, "Can I take you home?"

Kristin nodded sleepily. "I'm staying at the Sheridan just until I find somewhere more permanent."

"Alright; I know where that is."

Alex took Kristin gently by the arm, since she was having a little trouble walking straight, and led her to his car.

Kristin nearly fell asleep on the drive to her hotel.

Alex opened Kristin's door and walked her to her room. "Do you mind if I come inside for a bit?"

Kristin hesitated slightly, but she agreed. "N-no."

She unlocked the door, and they walked inside. "Would you like some coffee or something?"

"No thank you," Alex said. "I had something else in mind though."

Kristin felt slightly uncomfortable. "W-what's that?" she asked nervously.

"Well," he said, moving closer to her. "What's your policy on kissing?"

"Oh, I think we could arrange something," she said, relaxing once again.

Even though the real Kristin was still in love with Nathan Bridger, Alex wasn't a bad kisser. Unfortunately, Kristin's reflexes were weakened due to the alcohol consumption, and they were soon on the bed. Alex's hands wandered when Kristin finally realized where they were-too close to the wire hidden safely under her dress.

She quickly turned out of his grasp. "Hold on, Tiger," she said, "That's a little too far."

Alex was frustrated, and he let it show. "You're leaving me hanging here. I don't like that."

Kristin wasn't sure how to take his tone as she stood up and walked across the room. "I-I'm sorry," she said, pretending to be nearly in tears, turning her back to him. "I'm just not ready to be intimate with someone yet. It was a hard break-up for me." Although the tears were fake at first, as she thought about Nathan, they became real.

Luckily, this worked and Alex felt guilty. He came up behind her and placed his hands on her trembling shoulders. "Hey, don't cry," he said. "I didn't mean to push you. I'm sorry. I was being selfish. Can you forgive me?"

Kristin turned back to him and nodded.

He gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. "How about I pick you up tomorrow night, and we can get to know each other some more? Around six?"

"That sounds alright."

"Great," Alex said. "Goodnight."

With that he left, and Kristin found herself in tears about what nearly happened. She mentally chastised herself and vowed to be more careful from now on. Her thoughts were interrupted by a beep. She finally realized it was the PAL General Rogers had given her. She'd completely forgotten that someone was listening to everything that happened.

"H-hello?" Kristin answered.

"Good work," she heard Carolyn's voice on the line. "I can't believe you found him so soon."

"Neither can I," Kristin admitted, "but I wouldn't say I've done so well. I wasn't paying attention and he nearly found me out."

"But, you recovered it well," Carolyn stated. "Just keep that up, and you should get him talking in no time."

"Right," Kristin said. "Thank you."

"Well, it's late, so get some sleep," Carolyn said. "We'll talk tomorrow."

"OK," Kristin said. "Tomorrow." But, as Kristin put the PAL away, she still felt guilty. She was going to have to tweek her acting skills a bit more-and remember to keep the wire under wraps around Alex's busy hands.


	16. Missing You

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, 'Missing You' by Alison Krauss and John Waite: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) vODjTvLVjvg**

**Chapter 16**

**Meanwhile on **_**seaQuest**_

After Kristin opted not to return for the second tour, Nathan was crushed, but he wasn't about to let it ruin his life. The UEO had found a replacement surprisingly fast. Sure, she was no Kristin Westphalen; she could never be that. But, she seemed qualified enough. Dr. Wendell Smith, Wendy for short. Nathan had dated her mother, Lexington Smith years before, and Wendy was her spitting image. On the day the new seaQuest was to launch, Nathan first met Kristin's replacement.

"Dr. Smith," Nathan said as he shook her hand. "Welcome aboard."

"Thank you, Captain. I hope I can fill Dr. Westphalen's shoes. I'll do my best. I was surprised she left so suddenly," Wendy replied.

"Yes, well, she had some other things come up last minute. We do regret to see her go, but that's life." Nathan wanted to drop the subject, but Wendy kept on.

"I don't possibly understand what could be more important than working on the _seaQuest_," Wendy continued. "I can't believe I'm here."

Nathan started to become frustrated. His emotional wounds were still open, and he didn't like talking about Kristin. He tried to change the subject again. "Uh, why don't you have work to do in medbay?"

"Oh, yes," she replied. "Sorry, Captain. Excuse me."

Nathan headed to the mess hall to catch a bite to eat before heading to the bridge. He met Lucas there.

"Hey, Cap." Lucas greeted him. Nathan grabbed a muffin and a cup of coffee and sat down with the teen.

"Good morning," Nathan greeted him. "Glad to be back?"

"Yeah, I guess," Lucas said, sounding somewhat disappointed.

"What's wrong?" Nathan asked.

"It just won't be the same this year, that's all," Lucas said. "No Ben; no Chief Crocker; no Commander Hitchcock. And, more importantly, no Dr. Westphalen."

Nathan groaned inwardly. "Was everyone going to keep bringing Kristin up?" he thought. "Well, they've all moved on to better things."

"You call searching for you daughter _better_ things? I don't understand why _seaQuest_ can't help her? Then, she can come back, and everything will be like it was supposed to be."

"Lucas, we've been over this," Nathan said, frustrated. "The UEO already has a team working on it. We have other missions to accomplish."

"Well, what are they doing exactly?" Lucas challenged.

"I don't know, Lucas," Nathan admitted. "It's classified."

"I hate military protocol. Everything's classified," Lucas mumbled.

"Hey, watch it there, Pal," Nathan warned. Then he spoke more gently as he said, "Listen, I know how frustrating it is. I want to help too, but we have to understand this isn't our jurisdiction. The UEO is handling it, and we need to accept that."

"Yeah, but you haven't even talked to her since...well, you know."

Nathan sighed. "No."

"You miss her, don't you?" Lucas said.

"No," Nathan lied. "I understand what she has to do. I mean, what if this was Robert?"

"You'd leave _seaQuest_ if you found out he was alive?" Lucas asked, somewhat alarmed at the thought.

"Lucas, I'd never break ties with you," Nathan reassured him. "But to answer the question, yes. I'd do anything to see Robby again."

Lucas nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I guess."

Nathan tried to change the subject. "Have you met the new CMO?"

"Not yet," Lucas said, quickly finishing his breakfast. "I suppose I ought to go introduce myself. I bet she'll be excited to meet Darwin."

Nathan nodded. "You go do that."

As Lucas left, Nathan sat in quiet thought, and his thoughts did travel to thoughts of Kristin. He _did_ miss her, but he wasn't going to admit it to anyone, mainly himself.

Back in Andros, Kristin was getting ready for her second date with Alex. She took extra care in her appearance. And, she made sure her wire was securely in place as she slipped on a red dress this evening. After checking the mirror, she decided she was satisfied with her appearance.

A short time later, there was a knock at her door. She opened it to see Alex.

"Hello, there. You look gorgeous."

"Thank you," she said with a smile.

"So, I was wondering if you'd feel comfortable going to a dinner party and meeting some of my friends?"

"Uh, that sounds lovely," Kristin replied. But, to be honest, she was a little apprehensive. She knew some of his friends already, and they weren't exactly the nicest people. And, she didn't know what sort of activities they'd engage in.

"Great," Alex said. "Are you ready?"

"Just let me grab my purse," she said.

At that moment, Alex's mobile phone rang. "If you'll excuse me," he said, walking outside the door.

That gave Kristin enough time to put the small bottle of mace in her purse, just in case. She waited until Alex was finished. After a few moments, he stuck his head back in the room. "Sorry about that. Business, you know. Are you ready?"

She nodded. "All set."

"Let's go," he said, holding out his hand, which she accepted. They headed to his car. Kristin expected him to drive to the seedy area of town she'd been in before. However, he didn't. He pulled up in front of a large, expensive-looking pent-house. Alex walked around the car and opened the door for Kristin.

"So how do you like the place?" he asked.

"It's breathtaking," Kristin admitted. "And it's on the beach. I love that. Your friend has taste."

Alex laughed. "Thank you."

"What?" Kristin asked. "You mean this is _your _place?"

"One of them." Alex admitted. "But, this one is only for special friends."

"Hm, and you find me special enough?" she asked coyly.

"Indeed I do," he said, kissing her gently. After a few moments, he said, "Why don't we take this inside?"

Kristin nodded and the two climbed up the long staircase to the front door. Kristin gasped when he opened the door. The house was even more breathtaking on the inside.

"Can I show you around?" Alex asked. "The others won't arrive for a while."

"That would be lovely."

Kristin was pleased that Alex was a perfect gentleman as he showed her around his house, although he did steal a few kisses here and there, he didn't try anything more. And that was a relief. As they found their way to the living room, it was already decorated for a party.

"Would you care for a drink?" Alex asked.

"Please," Kristin said.

Alex brought her a glass of wine and the two stepped onto the balcony. "This is just lovely," Kristin said, referring to the view.

"Yes, it is," Alex said, keeping his eyes glued to her.

Kristin finally realized this and blushed. "I think that comment deserves a reward." She placed a gentle kiss to his cheek.

"My lips want to be rewarded too," he said, and Kristin obliged.

They were soon interrupted by the doorbell as guests started arriving.

Kristin stayed on the balcony as Alex greeted the guests. There were three couples, and Kristin recognized two of the men as McKenzie and Psilinakis.

She heard Alex say, "I want you all to meet someone." Then, he reappeared on the balcony, and grabbed her hand. "Come on," he said. "Don't be shy."

As they walked into the entrance area, Kristin was still unsure. And this must have been evident, because McKenzie reassured her. "We won't bite."

"Kristin, this is Jacob, Kevin, and Paul. And, this is Heather, Olivia, and Zoe. Everybody, this is Kristin."

Hellos and handshakes were exchanged, as Kristin hoped for their approval. Everyone walked into the party area as servants placed out trays of hors d'oeuvres. As the evening went on, Kristin felt more comfortable around Alex's friends.

After dinner, Paul asked, "Alex, do you mind if I turn the television on for a minute? I wanted to check the game scores."

"No problem," Alex said.

They sat down on the couch as Paul turned the on the news. Kristin gasped when she saw the story on the screen. It was about the new _seaQuest_, and Nathan and Bill Noyce had been interviewed.

Alex turned to her. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," Kristin replied. "I just almost spilled my drink."

As everyone turned their attention back to the screen, Jacob said, "That captain seems like a schmuck. He seems like he's too good for the rest of us."

"Actually, he's quite the opposite," Kristin blurted out absent-mindedly.

Everyone turned and looked at her. "You mean you _know _him?" Alex asked.

"Um, we're friends," Kristin admitted. "Well, we _were_."

Heather apparently had a bit of women's intuition because she said, "I know that look. That's the look of a lost love. You were in love with him, weren't you?"

Alex turned back to Kristin. "Is this true? Did you date him?"

Kristin realized she'd been backed into a corner, so she had no choice but to tell the truth. "Yes," she said. "But I don't miss him. Not in the least," she lied.


	17. Shadowboxer

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, 'Shadowboxer' by Fiona Apple: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) QnXjISlKLuE&ob (equals) av2e**

**Chapter 17**

Kristin noticed the strange looks she was getting from everyone, especially Alex. Her heart sank when she realized she may have made a grave mistake by admitting she knew Nathan Bridger. But, she breathed a small sigh of relief when everyone turned their attention back to the TV. She only hoped that was the end of the conversation, but she had the sinking feeling it wasn't.

Soon, the interview segment ended and the game scores flashed across the screen.. Paul, Jacob, Kevin, and Alex struck up a heated conversation about their favorite teams. Meanwhile, Olivia, Heather, and Zoey suggested they move to the balcony where they could have a more ladylike conversation.

"Won't you join us, Kristin?" Heather asked.

Kristin was hesitant at first, but Alex said, "Go ahead dear," he said, squeezing her arm, but it wasn't very gentle. It actually hurt. She quickly pulled away and followed the other women, unsure of how to read Alex's gesture.

The women's conversation, however, wasn't much better than the men's. Heather and Zoey were talking about their most recent plastic surgery procedures, and Olivia was asking the others if she should get breast implants. These were subjects that Kristin had absolutely no interest in. She pretended to be interested while her mind wandered to thoughts of Nathan. She was intererupted by Olivia.

"What do you think Kristin?"

"W-what?" Kristin asked, coming back to reality unexpectedly.

Olivia had a hand in the air just a few inches away from each one of her breasts. "Do you think this is a good size?"

"Uh-I-uh," Kristin stammered. "Olivia, Dear, do you _really _think you need bigger breasts to feel better about yourself?"

Everyone just stared at her for a minute. Then Olivia said, "Well, it's doesn't really matter what I think. It's more what keeps my man happy, and I'm sick of him checking out more endowed women. He couldn't keep his eyes off _you_."

Kristin was shocked for a moment, since she hadn't noticed. She felt her face grow warm. "I'm sure that's not why he was staring at me," Kristin said. "He was probably trying to size me up, trying to determine if I'm a good match for Alex. Isn't that what friends do?"

"He was trying to size you up, alright," Heather quipped. "Well, I wouldn't listen to her, Liv. You do what you _want_." Then she added, "I don't know about anyone else, but I need to powder my nose."

"Oh yeah," Olivia answered.

"Me too," Zoey said.

Kristin found this odd. She never understood women who liked to go to the bathroom together. But, as Heather took out a white bag of powder, she quickly realized what was going on. She'd forgotten the experession 'powder one's nose' meant something else as well.

"Kristin, how about you?" Heather asked as she made three lines on the railing of the balcony.

"N-no, thank you," Kristin said, feeling awkard.

"Oh, come one, Kristin," Zoey said. "Loosen up."

"I'm fine, thank you," Kristin insisted as the three women indulged in the powder.

"Suit yourself," Heather said. "More for us, right girls?"

The women then bursted into choruses of laughter. Kristin sipped her wine nervously, looking forward to the end of the evening.

Soon, however, to her relief, Paul came out onto the balconey first. "Hey, Zo, how about we head home, hm? I think we should have our own party."

"Right," Zoey said with a smile. "Night, girls."

"Have fun; call me tomorrow," Heather said, as Zoey and Paul left arm in arm.

Soon, Kevin and Jacob followed suit and Kristin and Alex were alone. Although Kristin was slightly relieved, it was short-lived since she didn't quite like the way Alex was looking at her.

"You know, it's been a long night," Kristin began. "You look tired; I can call a cab. It's no trouble."

But Alex protested. "Oh, Kristin, my Dear, don't be silly. Now what kind of host would I be?" He backed her into a corner, grabbing her wrists, preventing Kristin from escaping. "You know," he continued, "I can be very nice, but I can also be very bad. And do you _know_ what makes me bad?"

Kristin was too frightened to speak. She shook her head.

"Well, I really hate it when the women I get involved with aren't honest with me." he released Kristin's wrists, but still held his body close to hers so that she couldn't get away. "_Nathan Bridger_? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I-I didn't think it made much of a difference," Kristin started. "It wasn't a lie."

"Not saying anything is the same _thing_," Alex boomed. "I told _you_ about my last relationship." He finally turned away from her, allowing her to be able to move. "I mean," he continued, "if you dated someone with the UEO, what's to say you aren't working for them now?"

"Because I'm _not_," Kristin replied, sounding very convincing. "Look, Nathan and I only dated for a few months over the summer. Then, it quickly fizzled. _I'm_ the one who broke it off," she admittted. "I couldn't handle being alone for months at a time while he was off saving the world."

"Why didn't you just try getting a job on his submarine? I'm sure they needed doctors," Alex said, not sounding as angry anymore.

"Because you and I both know I couldn't handle being cooped up like that," Kristin said. "I'd never have been happy." She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I'm not trying to betray you; don't you trust me?"

As he looked in her eyes, he thought he could see she was telling the truth. He nodded. "But, if you cross me, I won't be so understanding."

Kristin nodded. "Why are so worried about the UEO anyway?" she wondered aloud.

Alex sighed. "Well, I'm not the good person you think I am," he admitted.

Kristin breathed a sigh of relief. She hoped Alex would give her the information she wanted. "Oh?"

"Yeah, I've done some bad things I'm not proud of," Alex said, "but, I'm trying to get away from that image, trying to do the right thing now."

"Just what bad things have you done?" Kristin asked.

"I'd really rather not go into it at the moment," Alex said. "So, you really have nothing to do with this Bridger guy then?"

Kristin shook her head. "Not with Bridger _and_ not with the UEO."

"Good," Alex said, satisfied with her answers. "Well, how about we discuss_ our_ business arrangement?"


	18. Human Nature

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, 'Human Nature' by Madonna: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) GS6FCoq349o**

**Chapter 18**

**One month later**

And so, Alex began funding Kristin's research. He even paid to have a section of his boat house turned into a small lab for Kristin. And, being that Alex's house was oceanside, this was easy access for Kristin to do some research on aquatic micro-organisms, a good cover for the true reason for her research. Unfortunately, she couldn't get Alex to open up about his business nor did he ever mention the orphanage or the incident that occurred there, even when pressed. Alexander Mangos was very good at being discreet.

Everyday, Kristin would take a cab to Alex's house to conduct her research, taking water samples, looking at them under a microscope, and categorizing them. Alex would come out to the boat house and watch her, make smalltalk with her, and steal kisses. In the evenings, there were fancy dinners and parties. Nearly every night, he was dragging Kristin to some sort of outing. Fortunately, Kristin could use her science research as an excuse not to drink. She wasn't use to drinking as much, and before her research, she was literally getting sick from it.

And, these outings were a good chance for her to conduct her other research, trying to find out more about Alexander Mangos and his business dealings. And, she tried to find any bit of information that might help her figure out where Cynthia and Malique were. Unfortunately, she hadn't found out anything yet, but she was hopeful.

One day, she arrived at Alex's house as usual. She headed to the lab and began working. And, as usual, Alex came out and greeted her, placing gentle kisses on the back of her neck as she worked. She turned and allowed him to kiss her lips.

"Hmm," she said when she pulled away, "that's a wonderful way to be greeted."

Alex laughed lightly. "Well, I was hoping you'd join me for lunch. That is, if you can tear yourself away from your algae."

Now it was Kristin's turn to laugh. "I think I can manage that. But, I'm surprised. Normally, you're too busy by lunchtime for anything-business calls and such."

"I know, but I'm taking the day off. I want to spend time with you. And, I have a surprise."

Kristin was like a little kid at Christmas now. "A surprise? Oh, what is it?"

Alex laughed. "I can't tell you yet...that's why it's a surprise. You'll find out at lunch, OK? How about that little cafe up the street?"

"That sounds great," Kristin replied.

Alex gave her another kiss and said, "Great...well, I do have a couple of things to take care of. I'll see you later?"

"I wouldn't miss it."

Kristin sighed. She didn't particularly enjoy pretending to be Alex's love interest, and kissing him was nothing like kissing Nathan. However, she was very good at not breaking character, and she was proud of herself for that. After spending the day working, she'd go back to the hotel. While she was getting ready for an evening out, she'd speak with General Rogers. Then, Alex would pick her up, and they'd go wherever he had planned. And, she was learning all the time, even though Alex was discreet. He was very good at keeping his work and leisure separate. However, Kristin was very observant, and she would pick up on a few things here and there. None of them had led to any discovery of her daughter's whereabouts. However, it was something. Kristin continued to work, and before she knew it, it was lunchtime.

Alex walked into the boat house. "Hi, Sweetheart. Are you ready to go?"

"Wow! That was fast. I was so engrossed in my work that the time flew."

"Well, time flies when you're playing with algae," Alex quipped. "Can you tear yourself away?"

Kristin nodded. "Just let me wash my hands." Then she looked down at the jeans and T-shirt she was wearing. "Am I dressed appropriately?"

"You look fine. It's casual."

So, the two walked down to the cafe and took a table on the sidewalk. Kristin ordered a salad while Alex ordered a club sandwich. Their meals arrived quickly, and they began eating.

"Well, you're probably wondering what the surprise is," Alex began. He reached across the table and took her hand in his. "Well, I've been thinking," he said.

"Yes?"

"Every day, you have to take a cab to my place, and then, you have to take one home. Wouldn't it be easier if you didn't have to do that?"

"What?" Kristin asked, not exactly sure what Alex was getting at.

Alex sighed. "What if you were already here? Kristin, I want you to move in with me."

Kristin was speechless. It was true that living there might give her more insight to Alex's business dealings. But, it would also make things more complicated. Number one, she wore a wire all the time. How could she conceal that from him if they lived in the same house? And, number two, she'd successfully avoided sleeping with him thus far. If they lived together, would he expect it then? "Alex, I-I," she stammered. "I'd really like to think about it. Is that alright?"

Alex looked dejected. He really was fond of Kristin. One might think he was actually in love with her. "Oh, yeah," he said, sounding disappointed. "I suppose it's a lot at once. Take all the time you need."

The rest of the lunch conversation was awkward after that. They walked back to the boat house in silence.

"Uh, I have to go," Alex said when they'd arrived. "I know I said I was taking the day off, but some things came up."

"Oh, alright," Kristin said. "I'll see you tonight?"

"Oh, yeah, I meant to tell you that. Our plans have been cancelled. I need to go out of town for the evening. I'll be back tomorrow."

"Out of town?" Kristin shouted. "How could you forget to mention that?"

"I'm sorry...it just came up. I'll see you tomorrow."

And, with that, Alex left. Kristin sighed and went back to work. By the end of the day, she was frustrated with the whole situation. She wanted to tell him 'yes' to his offer, but she just couldn't, not until she talked it over with someone she trusted.

When she arrived back at the hotel, she called Carolyn on the vid-phone.

"Hey, there, Marilyn," Carolyn said. "She normally called Kristin Marilyn in reference to Marilyn Monroe."

"Hi," Kristin said sadly.

"What's the matter?"

"Alex wants me to move in with him."

"I know," Carolyn said, "I heard, and I think that's great. Go for it."

Kristin sighed. "Part of me wants to, but I have doubts. For starters, it's going to get harder to hide the wire. And, then, there's the bedroom issue."

"You'll figure it out," Carolyn said. "The UEO really wants you to do it."

"Y-you mean they all know?" Kristin asked in surprise. She hadn't realized so many were involved in the case.

"We have a large team here, yes. And, they all want Mangos behind bars. Having you there would help us do that."

"And help us find Cynthia and Malique," Kristin added. She didn't like that the focus didn't seem to be on them.

"Right," Carolyn said. "Uh, Kristin, you know it's been over a month."

"So?"

"Well," Carolyn said gently, "You need to realize the chances of finding them _alive_ are slim. Sure, there _was_ hope in the beginning, but now...well, the first hours are the most critical. The longer they're gone, the slimmer the chances are of finding them. Even if they _are_ alive, they could be anywhere. Cynthia could have been sold into prostitution for all we know."

Kristin found herself growing angry with every word Carolyn said. "Don't you think I _know_ what could have happened?" Kristin shouted. "It seems to me no one but me cares about finding them anymore."

"Kristin, it's not that. Cynthia and Malique were wonderful people, and you should be proud of all the good your daughter did when she was alive."

"Don't _you dare_ do that!" Kristin yelled. "Don't you _dare_ speak about my daughter in the past tense! I won't have it! You may not believe they're alive; the UEO may not believe they're alive, but I do. I can't believe all you care about is Mangos."

"Look, Honey," Carolyn said, trying to calm her down, "We do care. But, we all want Mangos to pay for his crimes, don't _you_?"

"Yes, I do," Kristin said, "but I thought the point in all this was to find out what Mangos did with Cynthia and Malique, to find out more information, wasn't it?"

"Yes, but the UEO feels that finding them is a lost cause."

"Is that what you think?" Kristin asked.

Carolyn was silent. Anyone could see she felt the same way since she was hesitant to answer.

"I see," Kristin said. "Well, it's a strange feeling."

"What? That you realize we're correct?" Carolyn asked.

"No," Kristin said, "to be the only one who believes in miracles, to be the only one to think they're still alive."

"Kristin, look-"

"No, it's fine, Carolyn," Kristin said. "Well, I have news for you. I've decided to move in with Alex after all."

"Great, I'll notify the UEO," Carolyn said.

"You do that," Kristin said with a knowing smile, "But you can also tell them I refuse to wear the wire anymore."

"What?"

"I'm sorry," Kristin continued, "but if the focus isn't on Cynthia and Malique anymore, I won't help. I'll continue my own investigation, and I'll find them myself. I won't allow the UEO to take Mangos until I find out what happened to them."

"Kristin, you can't do this. You realize if you do, you'll become an enemy of the UEO."

"I could think of worse things to be," Kristin said.

"The UEO will just send someone else."

"Let them," Kristin said. "I'll just make sure they don't find him."


	19. A Mistake

**A/N: Inspiration for this chapter, 'A Mistake' by Fiona Apple. Just a warning that it has explicit lyrics, however: http (colon(backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) pokyLl-633o**

**Chapter 19**

The next day, Kristin headed over to Alex's early. She wanted to set some ground rules before she moved in. She rang the doorbell.

When Alex answered, he was still dressed in his bathrobe. "Kristin!" he said surprised. "You're early."

"Sorry," she said. "Did I wake you?"

"No, I was awake." He stepped aside for her to enter. "So, what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about your surprise yesterday," Kristin began.

"Oh, that," Alex said. "Listen, I've been thinking, maybe it was too soon. I suppose I should have made sure you were ready."

"No, you shouldn't have."

"Kristin, come on. I could tell by the way you were acting that you're not ready. Just forget it."

Kristin laughed. "Alex, would you stop and listen to me for a minute? I've decided I want to move in with you."

"Y-you do?"

Kristin nodded. "Yes, but I do have some concerns, and that's what I wanted to talk with you about."

"Why don't we go sit down?" Alex led her into the living room.

"You see," Kristin began, "I'm not ready to share a bed with you, let alone a bedroom. I-I know you're probably disappointed. I know you've been very patient with me, but I-"

"Kristin, it's alright," Alex interrupted. "The thing is, you are so different than any other woman I've ever dated; most of them can't wait to, well, you know. But, after that, things always go badly. I think it's better this way. I'll wait for you to be ready since I know you're worth it."

Kristin couldn't believe it. Was Alexander Mangos actually getting sensitive on her? If it wasn't for the fact that he was a criminal, a man who had killed numerous people, no doubt and committed countless other crimes, Kristin might actually start to fall for him. Of course, he was the reason she'd lost the man she did love and the reason she'd lost her daughter, so she wasn't about to be blinded by fancy words. But, for a moment, she nearly was. "Thank you," she said.

"So, that's why you were reluctant?"

Kristin nodded. "So, you're not upset?"

"Not at all." He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her. "Of course, it doesn't mean we can't do this, does it?"

"Of course not," she kissed him back.

"So, when do you want to move in?" Alex asked, kissing her again.

"How about next week?"

"Great," he replied, kissing her once again.

**Three months later**

After Kristin moved in, however, she found that Alex was not as kind and sensitive as she thought. Although she was glad she'd didn't have communication devices to hide, she started to find out more about Alex and his business dealings, and she was appalled about what she discovered. Apparently, the orphanage in northern Andros was not the only orphanage he owned. Therefore, the same crimes that happened at Kristen and Harry's orphanage was happening at the others as well, including murders of innocent children.

Of course, Alex tried to hide this fact, but Kristin did a lot of snooping when he was away. And, Alex was away a lot, more than she expected. He always had business trips he had to go on, and Kristin was never allowed to go. She tried pressing the issue once.

"I'm just letting you know, I'll be gone for a few days," Alex said to her one evening at dinner.

"Again?" Kristin said, "But you've only just arrived home from one yesterday."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Alex said, "But you knew how busy I was when we met. It's just at that time, it was the slow season."

"Slow season for what?" Kristin asked. "I still don't know exactly _what_ it is you do."

"I've told you I invest in small businesses and help them take off," Alex said. "Every business is different. Do I really need to go into it? Besides, I don't badger you about every little algae sample you take."

"You think I'm badgering you?" Kristin said, the annoyance in her voice evident. "Excuse me for wanting to know where you are when you're not in my sight. You know where I am all the time since you have your bodyguards following me."

"Those bodyguards are for your protection. And if they were bothering you, why didn't you just say something?"

"Let me go with you," Kristin pleaded. "I don't like when you're away."

Alex shook his head. "It really isn't your scene."

"My _scene_? And just what does that mean?"

Alex stood behind Kristin and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I just mean that some of the businesses I fund might be a little out of your league. I'm not going to lie to you. Some of the characters I deal with are a little shady, and you're too good for that. You don't want to be around that."

"Shady? You mean _criminal_," Kristin stated simply.

Alex sighed. "I think this conversation is over. Look, you can't go with me this time, and that's final. I'm sorry. Maybe next time."

Kristin walked to her room and slammed the door. She wasn't getting anywhere in finding Cynthia or Malique, and she was frustrated. She hoped and prayed she would see her daughter alive, but she started to worry that Carolyn may have been right after all.

**The next day**

Unbeknownst to Kristin, however, Cynthia and Malique _were _alive. Thankfully, they had not been sold into human trafficking, but Mangos was using them to peddle his drugs. Unfortunately, they were in southern Andros, miles away from Kristin. And, that's exactly where Alex was travelling. No, Alex didn't know that Cynthia and Kristin were related. He never suspected Kristin of being anything other than what her knew her to be. But, he also knew what he was doing was wrong, and he knew Kristin would never agree nor would she understand.

Of course, he always threatened Cynthia and Malique. Death was always a possibility, but they never tried to escape. They missed the children and their friends; and, or course, Cynthia missed her mother. But, they'd accepted their fate well, for the most part. When they weren't working, however, they were kept hostage in one of Mangos' homes. And, he had employees of his watching them constantly.

Alex arrived in southern Andros, and went to check on his hostages.

"How have they been doing, Jacques?" he asked.

"The woman has made you lots of money, boss. However, we've had trouble with the young man. He hasn't been selling much."

"And what have you done about that?"

"I've cut his meals in half, but it hasn't made much of a difference," Jacques answered.

Alex sighed, getting frustrated. "You need to use _force_. I guess _I'll _have to handle this."

"But, they're out working right now," Jacques protested.

"I'm quite aware of that, _bonehead_. I have other things to take care of. I'll be back later."

Alex left and headed to the local brothel. Yes, there was a reason he didn't mind Kristin not being intimate with him. He cared for Kristin very much, but he had needs. And, he vowed that when the time came, he wouldn't need the other women anymore.

Afterwards, he stopped at a local shop and bought Kristin an extravagent-looking diamond and emerald necklace. "A perfect 'I'm sorry' present," he muttered. Then, he went back home and waited for Malique and Cynthia to return.

Pierre brought them back shortly thereafter. The two cringed when they saw Mangos waiting for them. Jacques and Pierre were somewhat merciful, but Alexander Mangos showed no mercy to them.

"Leave them," Alex said to Pierre.

Pierre did as he was told and left the three alone.

"Well, it seems we have a little problem," Alex began, "One of you isn't bringing much of a profit." He stared directly at Malique.

"But, he's been trying," Cynthia interrupted. "We work the streets all day without any breaks."

"I didn't ask you," Alex boomed. He turned back to Malique. "Now, I'm going to have to punish you. Let this punishment be a reminder that you need to work harder. I know you go out everyday, but you aren't selling, or I'd have money in my pocket, wouldn't I?" He walked into an adjoining room and came out with a cat 'o' nine tails. "And you can thank your little girlfriend for _this_." He raised his hand high and brought the whip down hard against Malique's back, causing him to cry out in great pain.

Alex turned to Cynthia. "And, let this be a lesson to you what will happen to you if you ever slip up."

Cynthia found herself crying, as she watched helplessly as Malique was punished.

**Meanwhile on **_**seaQuest**_

"Captain, there's a call from Admiral Noyce," Tim O'Neill announced.

"Thank you, O'Neill," Nathan stated. "I'll take it in my quarters. Ford, you have the bridge."

Nathan headed to his quarters and flipped on the vid-screen. "Hello, Bill."

"Hello, there Nathan. Unfortunately, this isn't a social call."

"Alright," Nathan said. "So what does the UEO want now?"

Bill laughed slightly. "Well, they want us to plan a mission," Bill said simply.

"What's the situation?"

"Alexander Mangos," Bill said. "Have you heard of him?"

Nathan thought for a moment. "Wasn't that the man that was corrupting the orphanage in Andros? The one Kri-Dr. Westphalen-"

"That's the one," Bill said, interrupting.

"I thought the UEO already had a team working on that," Nathan said.

"They did," Bill said. "Apparently, they even had a man on the inside."

"Had?"

"Yes, unfortunately, they lost contact with him. No one even knows if he's alive. The UEO wasn't happy about how the other team handled it. So, they've decided they want someone else working on it."

"Us?"

"Exactly," Bill said. "So, they want a mission to Andros ASAP."

"Well, that can be arranged. But, once we get to Andros, how do we find him?"

"Mangos plans a big shindig every year looking for more investors to fund his drug trafficking business. Apparently, it's at the Pighi Sariza Hotel, and it's to be held next weekend."

"So, we're supposed to pose as investors?"

"Exactly," Bill said.

"That sounds like a plan, Bill. Hopefully, he won't be at large anymore when we're done."

"Everyone's counting on you, Nathan," Bill said, just before he cut the link.


	20. Baby, Now That I've Found You

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, 'Baby, Now That I've Found You' by Alison Krauss And Union Station: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) EvKtxTsVoMo**

**Chapter 20**

_**seaQuest**_

Noyce had faxed over the reports from the work General Rogers had done on the Mangos case. Apparently, the UEO wasn't pleased with her progress on the case, so they took her off of it. That's the reason the _seaQuest _was called. Nathan leafed through the stacks of reports, searching for any evidence about the hostage situation. He finally found it"Cynthia Westphalen and Malique Martin, presumed deceased. The UEO feels the hostage situation is a lost cause, and the focus should remain only on the capture of Alexander Mangos."

Nathan couldn't believe it. "Kristin must be devastated," he said aloud. The mention of Kristin made him wonder where she was and what she was doing. He hadn't heard from her in over four months. Was she still in Andros? Did she still have hope of finding her daughter? That wasn't quite far-fetched. Nathan knew very well what it was like to be told your child was dead and not believe it. But, would Kristin really isolate herself from everyone she knew? Why wouldn't she contact him?

He continued to read through the report. "One person, who asks to remain anonymous, agreed to work undercover. This person did make contact with Mangos and earned his trust. However, no significant information was found from this experiment. Unfortunately, all communication was lost with the individual." Nathan placed the reports aside and grabbed his PAL to buzz Lucas.

"Wolenzcak," Lucas answered.

"Lucas, I need a favor; find everything you can on Alexander Mangos, and meet me in the ward room in an hour for a staff meeting."

"Mangos? Why does that name sound familiar?" Lucas asked.

"You'll find out when you research, I'm sure," Nathan said. "We'll discuss it at the meeting."

As Nathan cut the link, he couldn't get Kristin off his mind. There was only one person he knew had contact with her, so he dialed the number in hopes he might find out some information on her.

"Nathan," General Thomas said. "It's been a long time."

"That it has, Francis. How've you been?" Nathan asked.

"I'm lung has healed well," General Thomas answered.

"Yeah, I'd heard you'd gotten shot; I was sorry to hear that," Nathan said.

"Well, I probably would have died if it wasn't for Kristin. Thank God for her."

"Yes, I agree with you there," Nathan said. "That's actually why I called you."

"About Kristin?"

Nathan nodded. "I was wondering if you'd heard from her?"

Thomas shook his head. "Not since I was in the hospital. I sent her over to General Rogers to help find her daughter."

"Do you know what General Rogers did for her? What was the plan?"

"You know I can't tell you that, Nathan," Thomas said. "You know as well as I that's classified."

Nathan sighed. "Well, General Rogers isn't on the case anymore."

"Yeah, I'd heard that, but it still doesn't matter."

Nathan held up the reports for him to see. "It's been given to us."

"Then, all the info you need should be in there."

"Except it's not," Nathan said, annoyed. "According to the reports, Cynthia and Malique are thought be deceased. And there's no mention of Kristin in it at all."

"Deceased?" Thomas said, shocked. "I can't believe it."

Nathan nodded. "The UEO wants us to find Mangos; they don't want us to deal with the hostage situation; to them, there _is_ no hostage situation."

"And what do _you_ think of that?"

"You want my _honest _opinion?" Nathan asked.

Thomas nodded.

"Frankly, I think it's bull. I just keep thinking, "What if it was Robby?" Well, I'd make damn sure I'd do anything to get him back if I heard he was alive. I don't care what the UEO told me."

"You feel you owe it to Kristin?" Thomas inferred.

Nathan nodded. "So you have no idea where she is?"

"I'm sorry, Nathan. I wish I did, for your sake. The last I heard, she was in Andros. That's it."

Nathan sighed and nodded. "Well, that's a start. Thank you for that."

"You're welcome, Nathan. And good luck."

Nathan cut the link.

**One hour later**

The _seaQuest _senior staff gathered in the ward room. Nathan explained the purpose of the next mission, and then he turned the floor over to Lucas to explain about Alexander Mangos.

"Well, for starters," Lucas began, "there isn't much information to be found on him. Honestly, what I found is probably what we already know."

"Like what?" Nathan asked.

"Well, he's an American drug lord, but he's been living in Andros for years.. He basically runs the whole island of Andros; he has people working for him all over the island. He has homes in each area: Northern Andros, Mangrove Cay, and Southern Andros. He's extremely elusive. Because he has employees all over Andros, he has lots of places he can hide. Not only is he connected with drugs, it's also specualted that he's responsible for numerous deaths and disappearances over the course of the past several years."

"So, we're just supposed to attend this party and catch him?" Jonathan Ford asked. "Just how are we supposed to do that?"

"Well, I've been thinking about that," Nathan stated. "We pretend to want to invest as well. We can't just waltz in there toting guns. We go there dressed in our best, and we strike up a deal. Then, when Mangos agrees and invites us to a private location...well, hopefully, we'll strike."

"He kidnapped Doc Westphalen's daughter," Lucas muttered out loud.

"What?" The crew members who had served with her on the first tour all chorused the same response. None of them were ever told the doctor's reasons for leaving.

"Is she still missing?" Lucas asked.

Nathan nodded sadly. "But our orders are to capture Mangos. However, I am not about to let him get away with this crime either. Before we bring him to justice, we _will _get that information from him. Is that understood?"

Everyone nodded. "So, will we all go?" Tim O'Neill asked.

Nathan thought for a moment. "I think we need all the help we can get. We'll leave at O nine hundred hours. We'll need to get some hotel rooms. And, we'll all need to find something to wear. In the meantime, we can do our own research beforehand."

**Back on Andros**

Although Kristin didn't like the fact that Alex was away so much, she also enjoyed her time alone. Although it didn't help her in finding the whereabouts of Cynthia and Malique, it meant she didn't have to put on an act. Of course, Alex did have two bodyguards, Moose and Bear, as they were called, watch her and make sure she was protected, but they still gave her a lot of leeway. And, since Alex had money, he expected Kristin to spend it...so, she had a plan to get away one day.

"I'd like to go to one of the dress shops in Nassau I've heard so much about," she said to Bear. "I'll need a dress for the party."

Bear and Moose both exchanged glances. There wasn't much need for them to travel with her. Nassau wasn't a high crime area, and there certainly wasn't much trouble she could get in dress shopping. "Do you mind going alone?"

"Not at all," she said, rather pleased with herself. "I've told Alex to give you some time off. I'll be just fine. I'll take the ferry over, and I should be home by early evening."

And, so, it was settled. Kristin did intend on shopping for a dress, but she also had other plans. She longed to see Kristen and Harry, so she made plans to visit them.

She had found out the children had been transferred to a regular orphanage, but Crystal and Maggie still volunteered there. Kristin found the orphanage easily, however, since it was only a few blocks away from the base.

When Kristin walked in, she was greeted by an older woman. "Hello, can I help you?" she asked.

"I was wondering if Crystal and Maggie were working today?"

"No, I'm sorry," the woman answered. "Can I do something for you?"

"Well, I was wondering if I'd be able to visit two of the children, Kristen and Harry. I'm a friend of theirs."

"Kristen and Harry?" the woman asked. "Oh, I suppose you don't know."

"Know what?" Kristin asked in alarm.

"Well, the children have been placed in a foster home."

"What? No, that can't be. Can you tell me where?" Kristin panicked slightly.

"I'm sorry, but that information is confidential. I can tell you the children are very happy where they are. And, if things go well, the family may agree to adopt them."

"No," Kristin said again. Tears stung her eyes, and the woman noticed.

"What's so bad about that?"

"I-I'm sorry," Kristin said, her voice thick with emotion. "But I knew Kristen and Harry before they came here, and I was planning to adopt them. I just had some things in my life to take care of first."

"Well, I'm sorry Miss?"

"Westphalen."

"Well, I'm sorry, Miss Westphalen, but no one has seen or heard from you. The children never even mentioned anything about this. If you had only come here a few weeks earlier."

Kristin nodded sadly. "I understand. Uh, can I leave a message for Maggie?"

"Sure," the woman said.

Kristin scribbled a message on a piece of paper and folded it carefully. "If you could please see that she gets this."

"I'll do that. Have a nice day."

Kristin was devatated. She only hoped the children were happy where they were. She shed a few tears and hailed a cab. She headed to the shops to buy a dress for the party.


	21. Hungry Eyes

**A/N: Inspiration for this chapter, 'Hungry Eyes' by Eric Carmen: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) 6oKUTOLSeMM**

**Chapter 21**

**Andros**

Several days later, Alex returned home. Kristin greeted him with a kiss. "I missed you," she said.

"Me too," Alex answered, returning the kiss. "I brought you something."

"You did? What is it?"

Alex laughed lightly. "Let me bring these upstairs, and I'll show you. Did you find a dress for the party?"

"Yes, it's upstairs. Would you like to see it?"

"I'd love to. In fact, why don't you try it on right now?"

So Kristin followed Alex upstairs. She entered her bedroom and changed into the dress. It was a strapless gown that showed off her ample bosom with an open back. She stepped out the door to find Alex waiting for her.

"What do you think?" she asked. "Of course, you need to imagine me with my hair up, and with the matching shoes."

"I think it's lovely, but it's missing something," Alex said.

"What?" Kristin asked in alarm, walking back into her bedroom to look in the mirror. Alex followed her. "What am I missing?"

"This," Alex said, walking behind her and placing the necklace around her throat.

"Oh, Alex," Kristin breathed. "It's beautiful."

"I saw it in the shop window, and I thought of you. I'm hoping you'll wear it to the party."

"Of course," she said, turning around to kiss him. "Thank you so much."

"You're very welcome," he said, kissing her back. He was soon interrupted by the chirping of his cellular phone. He sighed. "I'm sorry, but I need to take this."

"Mangos," Alex answered.

"Alex, it's Jacob," McKenzie said from the other end. "I have some news for you."

"Right, let me take this in my office." He turned to Kristin, "I'll be back."

She nodded dejectedly. He was always on that damn phone.

Once he was alone, Alex said, "So, what's going on?"

"I just got a call from a Tony Piccolo," McKenzie said.

"So?"

"So, he wants to make a deal with you, along with his buddies. But, he wants to make a _private_ deal."

"Why don't they just attend the party like everyone else?"

"They are, but they don't want to discuss business there. It seems it might compromise their position," McKenzie explained.

"What position?"

"Well, you're not going to believe this, boss, but apparently, his buddies work for the _seaQuest_."

"The _seaQuest_? It sounds too fishy," Alex said. "How do I know it isn't just some elaborate plot to capture me?"

"That's what I thought at first, but this Tony here...well, he's a good guy. He served time with my cousin Ronnie, and Ronnie says he'd trust him with his life."

"So, you think this is all legit?"

"It has to be, and it could make you a lot of money."

"Yeah," Alex said, thinking of the possibilities. "OK, you're right. Tell them we'll do it, but not until _after_ the party."

"You going to mention this to Kristin?" McKenzie asked.

"No."

"Why not? Some of them are probably her friends."

"That might be so, but I want her to be surprised. Besides, it will give me a chance to see just how close her and Nathan Bridger really are," Alex said. "_Don't _tell them she's here." He heard movement outside the door. "Look, I have to go. Just call him back, and I'll talk to you soon."

Alex hung up the phone and walked out of the office. He saw Kristin in the entryway. "What was that all about?" she asked.

"Nothing to worry about...just party plans. Are you going out to work?" he asked, noticing Kristin had changed into jeans and a T-shirt.

She nodded. "I thought I'd get a little work done before we have to leave for the hotel. We're leaving on Friday?"

Alex nodded. "Yes, and I promise, I won't have to leave you anymore."

Kristin sighed as she walked to the boat house. She was getting tired of the charade, and she didn't know how long she could keep it up. She wanted nothing more to find Cynthia, but she knew Alex was lying to her...and she couldn't handle that.

**Meanwhile, at the Hotel**

Seaman Tony Piccolo had just finished speaking with McKenzie. He turned to Nathan.

"It's all set, Cap," he replied. "Mangos agreed to meet with us privately, but not 'til after the party."

Nathan nodded. "Well, that's great, but I was hoping to meet with him beforehand. That's fine though. I suppose we can always make the most of it. We can always do a little sightseeing."

The others happily agreed. Nathan knew it was a longshot, but he hoped to catch a glimpse of Kristin, by chance. Of course, he knew the chances of that actually happening were slim to none, considering the size of the island, but he was hopeful.

The days flew by, and, as Nathan expected, he didn't see Kristin. But, the party was on Saturday, and that time arrived. Everyone had found appropriate outfits. Wendy and Lonnie had found some lovely evening gowns, and all the men rented tuxedos, _even _Tony. It seemed their plan was going to work.

**The Evening of the Party**

Nathan, Lucas, Dr. Wendy Smith, Jonathan Ford, Jim Brody, Tony Piccolo, Miguel Ortiz, Tim O'Neill, and Lonnie Henderson all walked downstairs to the dance hall where Mangos' party was located.

"Now, I think we should split up once we get inside," Nathan said, once they were all in the elevator together. "Mingle, be sociable, that sort of thing."

Everyone nodded.

Once the elevator stopped, they headed to the dance hall. Surprisingly, there was a line with a bouncer, who was checking off a list of guests. Apparently, not just anyone was allowed in. As the line moved, and several people were turned away, Nathan cringed slightly when their turn came up. However, he was relieved when they were allowed through.

"Enjoy the party," the bouncer, who was a very large, tall man said as he unhooked the velvet rope that blocked the door and allowed them to pass.

They all muttered a thank you, and split up. Wendy stayed near Nathan, however.

"Is there a problem, Doctor?" Nathan asked, as they walked into the dimly lit, crowded room. Music was playing, and some people were dancing while others were mingling.

Wendy shook her head. "Not exactly, but crowds aren't always the best thing for me."

Nathan nodded knowingly. Wendy was an empath, meaning she could feel others' feelings. And, in a crowd, an empath could get confused, even disoriented. "I'm sorry; I didn't realize it would be hard for you."

"It's alright," Wendy said, "as long as you don't mind me tagging along with you."

"That would be fine," Nathan said as the two walked to the bar.

"Would you like a drink?" Nathan offered.

"A white wine, please," Wendy said, turning to scan the crowd. She noticed Jonathan Ford across the room speaking to a stunning blonde. "Looks like Jonathan met someone," she pointed out.

Nathan turned and handed her a glass of wine. He sipped his drink and looked to where Wendy was pointing. "I suppose he has," he commented.

"She's gorgeous, isn't she?" Wendy asked.

Nathan peered through the crowd. He couldn't see the woman that well. All he could see was her hair. "She's alright, I guess," he said. After Kristin, he didn't really see any woman as being that gorgeous.

Nathan turned to Wendy. "Would you care to dance?"

"Well, I'd love to, but it looks like we have company," Wendy said, gesturing over Nathan's shoulder.

Jonathan had ushered the woman he'd been talking to over to the captain. He gave her a gentle push forward, and Nathan dropped his drink when he looked into the woman's eyes. It fell to the floor with a crash.

"Nathan!" Kristin said in shock.

"Kristin!"


	22. Criminal

**A/N: OK, I know I've been posting like crazy, and it's honestly because I'm trying get the story out of my head and out for you by next week because I'll have some things going on in my real life that might prevent me from posting. I'm not sure if I'll get it finished, but I am going to try. Anyway, I really hate to whine and lobby for reviews; I realize it isn't very becoming. And, I am sorry to complain, but I haven't received a single review since chapter 16. I know there are a lot of readers, and I hope you're enjoying. But, my confidence falters when I don't hear from anyone. So, if you like the story so far, please feel compelled to click the review tab at the end of the chapter and tell me what you think. I would really appreciate it. You don't even need an account since anonymous reviews are enabled. That means you could say you're Snoopy or the Queen of England or something and just tell me if you liked it or not. Come on, you know you want to. Thank you.**

**Inspiraton for the chapter, 'Criminal' by Fiona Apple: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) FFOzayDpWoI&ob=av2e**

**Chapter 22**

Wendy and Jonathan went to mingle with some of the other guests and left Kristin and Nathan alone.

"Kristin, your hair; what did you _do_ to it?" Nathan said, shocked.

Kristin brought a hand to her hair. "It's a long story," she said.

"What are you even doing here?" Nathan said, walking closer to her and placing his hands on her shoulders. "I've missed you so."

"That's a long story too," she said. Then she added, "I've missed you too."

The happy reunion between Kristin and Nathan was short-lived, however, when Alex showed up behind Kristin. He placed an arm around her shoulder and squeezed her close to him.

"Oh, you've gone and ruined my surprise," Alex said in mock-disappointment.

"You mean you knew they were coming?" Kristin said in shock.

Alex nodded. "I thought you'd be happy, Sweetheart."

Kristin was speechless, as she felt her face growing hot. She'd wanted to break the news to Nathan gently, and this wasn't the way she'd envisioned it.

But Nathan noticed the term of endearment, and he decided to call them out on it. "_Sweetheart_?" he said in disgust. "You mean you two are a-you two are He couldn't bring himself to say the words.

Alex broke in and finished the sentence for him. "That's right. We're dating, for almost five months now. I suppose that's about the time she broke up with you, isn't it? Oh well, guess she needed a _real _man. Well, I need to go mingle. You two have fun," he said with an evil smile. He gave Kristin a passionate kiss for effect. And, since Kristin couldn't allow the truth to slip out, she had to keep up her act. And it killed her.

As Alex walked away, she turned back to Nathan.

"Is it true?"

"Nathan, I-I wanted to tell you. It's complicated," Kristin began.

"It's _complicated_?" Nathan shouted. "What's complicated about it? I thought you left to find Cynthia, not be _his_ whore!"

"Nathan, that hurts," Kristin said, trying to remain calm. "You really don't understand what's going on."

"Try me."

Kristin looked around nervously. A small crowd had gathered around them. She walked closer to Nathan. "I can't tell you now," she said quietly. Kristin sighed miserably. She'd always thought the only one she was hurting by doing this was herself. But, it was at this moment she realized she was hurting more than herself, and she didn't know how to fix it now. "Excuse me; I need some air," she said quietly, nearly in tears, as she quickly fled the room.

"Well, that was awkward," Lucas said. Nathan hadn't even noticed that his crew had gathered around them, along with some other onlookers.

Nathan turned to them. "Don't you have something else to do?" he said, rather annoyed.

Everyone sensed this, and quickly turned to draw their attention back to the party.

Nathan downed his drink in one gulp in an attempt to drown his sorrows, but it didn't really help. He headed for the bar and ordered the bartender to give him another. He sighed before downing that drink too. "I suppose I ought to go find her," he muttered to himself. Part of him was so angry at her, but another part still cared for her, still loved her. Therefore, he needed to understand, if he could.

Nathan walked out to the lobby. He looked around the room for her just in case she had come back inside, but she was no where to be found. He then walked outside, trying to determine where she would have gone. He decided to walk toward the beach first, thinking it a likely place she might go. As he suspected, he could see Kristin in the dim moonlight, arms wrapped around herself, staring out over the water.

She sensed Nathan come up behind her. "Go away," she said. Nathan could tell she'd been crying.

"Not until I get some answers from you," Nathan answered. "Why in the _world_ are you here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Kristin said, her back still turned from him. "Let me guess; the UEO set up some elaborate mission for you."

"It's no secret they've been after him for years; _you _know that."

"He's on to you, you know. Do you _really _think he's stupid enough to believe you'd bring a seventeen-year old to a drug deal?"

"_Eighteen_-year old," Nathan corrected. "You missed his birthday," Nathan reminded her, referring to Lucas.

"Yes, well, he's _still _too young to be here, to be with _these_ people. It isn't safe."

Nathan laughed slightly. "You talk as if you're not one of them. That is what you are, isn't it? Tell me, what was it that attracted you to him? Was it the fact that he kills innocent children? The fact he kidnapped your daughter? Or was it the _money_ you liked? Don't think I didn't notice that necklace you're wearing; _that _must have cost a small fortune."

"That's not your concern," Kristin retorted, finally turning to him. Nathan could see a hint of anger flash in here eyes under the moonlight. "He funds my research. Do you know how wonderful it is _not _to have to lobby for funding? You know as well as I how humiliating that is! He gives me what I need."

"And I can only _imagine_ what you give him," Nathan said sarcastically. "I just can't believe you'd fall for someone like _that_!"

"We can't always have control over matters of the heart," Kristin defended herself. "You know that as well as I."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, please, Nathan! Who do you think you're fooling? I saw you and your new CMO together!"

Nathan scoffed. "That is _not_ the same thing! We're _friends_; nothing more."

"Does _she_ know that?"

"What?"

"I can't believe you don't see it. Are you that oblivious to it? I know what a woman looks like when she's in love," Kristin said.

"And how do you know she's in love with me?"

"I saw the way she looks at you."

"Wendy admires me," Nathan said in his defense. "She's _half _my age."

"Well, perhaps it's your tendency to flirt with your CMO that confused her?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You seem to have a _thing _for female doctors-well, at least the ones on your boat."

"Wait a minute," Nathan said, "Don't you dare turn this around on me. I'm not the one on trial here."

"And _I_ am? And don't tell me you'd pass up the chance to bed her if she offered?"

"I most certainly wouldn't. I'm not even interested. And, you're the one who broke up with me, remember?"

"Is this what this about? The fact you lost me?"

"No, it's the fact you _lied _to me," Nathan said. "You said you were looking for Cynthia."

"I _am_."

"Well, you have a funny way of showing it." Then Nathan had a thought. "He doesn't know that, does he? He doesn't know you're her mother?"

Kristin hesitated for a moment. Then, she shook her head. "Please don't tell him."

"Are you in love with him?"

"What if I am?"

"You know what? I really don't care what you do."

"Good," Kristin said. Then, she became serious. "I really think you can your crew should leave."

"Why? Because we're finding out your true colors?"

"Because you'll die," Kristin said desperately. "Lucas is too young and innocent."

Nathan shook his head. "Alexander said he'll do a deal with us, _alone_. There's nine of us against one of him."

"You've forgotten he has friends. And, he won't be alone. Why do you think he's been at large for so long? It's a setup, Nathan. I know it."

"The UEO told me they had a guy on the inside? Do you know anything about that?" Nathan asked.

Kristin shook her head. "Nathan, Alex has so many people come and go, I don't bother to keep track. It's very possible they did, but I'm sure he was found out. I'm sure he's dead now," she said casually.

"I can't believe it."

"Well, I'm sure it's true, or they wouldn't have sent you in his place."

"No, that's not what I mean," Nathan explained. "I can't believe you've changed so much. I can't believe you've become such an uncaring, cold-hearted _bitch_!"

Kristin's eyes flashed with anger once again. "Well, believe it. Go home, Nathan. I'm warning you." With that, she turned and walked back to the hotel, leaving a confused and appalled Nathan behind in her wake.


	23. When You Walk in the Room

**A/N: Inspiraton for the chapter, 'When You Walk in the Room' by Pam Tillis: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) Z8gf4pme8W8**

**Chapter 23**

As Kristin walked back to the party, she was angry. She was more angry at herself than anything, but she was angry with Nathan too...and Alex. Having Nathan there was ruining everything. After the party was said and done, she'd been planning to break things off with Alex, at least the relationship aspect. She was hoping if she played her cards right, he'd still agree to offer her funding, at least until she'd finished her algae research. She was still months away from finishing that, and she hoped it would buy her enough time to find out where Cynthia and Malique were.

But, now that Nathan and the _seaQuest_ crew were there, she couldn't do this. She knew full well what Alex was capable of, and she didn't believe for one second that he was planning a deal with them. Alex knew who Nathan was, and she didn't think he believed the crew was filled with junkies. And, Kristin had vowed she wouldn't allow the UEO to find him until she'd found out where he took Cynthia and Malique. The fact that Alex knew Nathan was coming and didn't tell her infuriated her. All this threw a wrench into her plans.

As Kristin entered the dance hall, Alex noticed and crossed the room to her. "Hey, I was wondering where you ran off to." He nearly smiled when he noticed the angry look on her face. "What's the matter? Your reunion with your ex didn't go well?"

"You know perfectly well that it didn't," Kristin shot back. "How _could_ you do that to me?"

"Look, I just wanted to make sure you still didn't have feelings for the guy. You know since I found out you dated him, I've been a little jealous about it. I just wanted to be sure I could trust you," Alex replied. He brushed his hand against her cheek. "Well, soon, you won't have to see him anymore. Now, come on; everyone's expecting us to dance together."

"What do you mean I won't see him anymore?" Kristin asked. She feared she sensed a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

"All I meant was they'd be going home soon; they're here for the same reason everyone else is-to invest. What else did you think?"

"N-nothing," Kristin replied as she allowed Alex to lead her onto the dance floor.

As she and Alex danced, she noticed that Nathan had re-entered the dance hall as well. She wasn't sure if he was trying to rub it in or not, but he'd asked Wendy to dance. They took a place on the dance floor next to Kristin and Alex. Kristin felt her face grow warm when Nathan looked at her. She turned away, pretending not to care. But, it was quite the opposite.

"Hello there, Captain," Alex said to Nathan. "What do you think of the festivities?"

"You really know how to throw a good party, Mr. Mangos," Nathan said, as he and Wendy whirled around.

"Please call me Alex," Alex replied. "And thank you." As the song ended, he continued talking. "I hope there's no hard feelings about all this." He motioned towards Kristin.

"None at all," Nathan said, trying his best not to show his true feelings. "Our relationship ran its course."

Alex nodded. "Well, that's what Kristin had said, but I just wanted to be sure. In fact, to show we're all friends here, why don't you and Kristin share a dance? And I'll dance with your date."

"She's not my date," Nathan corrected. "She's just a friend. This is Wendy; she's the CMO on the _seaQuest_."

Kristin spoke in protest. "Alex, Dear, this isn't really necessary. I'm sure-"

"Please, I insist," Alex said, pushing Kristin gently towards Nathan. He then took Wendy's hand and led her across the dance floor.

Nathan and Kristin just stood there for a moment, as the music started and other couples began to dance around them.

Nathan sighed and placed a hand around Kristin's waist, another on her shoulder as he led her across the dance floor. The two danced in silence for a moment, both of them looking rather glum.

"Hey, Cap, you look like you're going to a funeral," Tony Piccolo said to him. He was dancing with a gorgeous young brunette. "You've got a gorgeous lady there; you should be happy."

Kristin found herself smile slightly at this, despite her displeasure with the sitation. "Thank you; my, you're very charming aren't you?"

"The name's Piccolo, ma'am; Tony Piccolo. And, Lucas has told me a lot about you."

"All good, I hope," she said.

"Mostly," Tony replied.

Nathan broke in, "Thank you, Piccolo. But please just enjoy yourself, and keep your nose out of _my_ business."

"Right," Tony said, clamming up. "Well, it was nice meeting you," he said to Kristin before he whirled his dance partner around and away from Nathan and Kristin.

"Well, _that _was rude," Kristin commented. "He was just trying to be friendly, Nathan."

"Yes, well, I really didn't care to hear what he had to say. I'm _not_ happy, and I'm _not_ going to pretend I am."

"This isn't a bed of roses for me either," Kristin replied, "but I say we make the most of it. It's only one dance."

Nathan was shocked at how quickly Kristin's mood had changed from when they were out on the beach. "You're right. Let's just get it over with."

Kristin nodded. "Agreed." As they whirled around, she found the silence uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, you know."

"For what?"

"For the way you had to find this out. I never meant it to be this way."

"I'm sure you didn't," Nathan said sarcastically. Then he softened slightly, "I didn't want it to be this way either."

"Nathan, you have to believe me when I tell you that I don't think you and your crew should meet with Alex tomorrow." Kristin said.

But, Nathan still didn't want to hear it. "Geez, you really care for this guy, don't you? It's just that you don't want him to go to jail."

"That's not it at all. I'm telling you that I think it's dangerous."

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, I-"

But, the song had ended, and Alex and Wendy promptly showed up alongside of them. "Well, you two look rather cozy," Alex said with a smile. He placed a hand around Kristin's waist and pulled her to him. "It looks like you two are old friends again, hm?"

Nathan and Kristin nodded, neither of them daring to speak. However, Nathan noticed the pleading look Kristin gave him. He began to wonder if there have been some merit to her worrying. But, Nathan quickly pushed it aside.

"Well, I suppose we ought to go, Dear. There are some more people I want you to meet," Alex said to Kristin. "Goodnight, Captain. I'll see _you _tomorrow."

"Actually, Alex," Kristin interrupted. "I'm not feeling very well. Do you mind if I turned in early?"

Alex began to protest, but he changed his mind. "No, it's alright, Dear. Go upstairs and lie down. I'll come up later to check on you."


	24. Walkin' After Midnight

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, 'Walkin' After Midnight' by Patsy Cline: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) UoKfFIrXAYs**

**Chapter 24**

Kristin took the elevator back up to the room. She stepped out of the party frock and changed into a nightgown. She really wasn't feeling sick at all, but she didn't want to be at the party anymore. The fact that she knew three quarters of Nathan's crew downstairs bothered her. She could only imagine what they must think of her, and she couldn't explain it to them either, not without them blowing her cover. She felt humiliated and miserable because of this.

She tried to lie down, but couldn't sleep. Well, at least she thought she couldn't because apparently, she must have dozed off. The next thing she knew, she heard Alex walk in, but he wasn't alone. She pretended to be asleep while she listened to them talk.

"So, you're meeting with them tomorrow?" she heard a masculine voice say to Alex. It was McKenzie.

"Yeah," Alex replied. Then his voice got lower, "And I have to say, they won't even _know _what hit them."

"I told you Tony was a trustworthy guy, boss. I don't really think that's necessary."

Alex laughed evilly. "Well, there's a reason I don't let you run the show. If we depended on you, we'd be dead. Do you really believe she _seaQuest _crew is interested in a drug deal?"

"Well," McKenzie said, thinking for a moment, "yeah, I _do_."

Alex sighed. "You are_ so _naive. Please, this is a plot to capture us, and we're not going to let that happen. That's because _this_ will be planted in the room."

Kristin couldn't see what 'this' was, but she could only imagine.

"What is it?" McKenzie asked.

"It's a bomb, you bonehead," Alex replied. "I know it doesn't look like it, but that's the point. No one will suspect."

"I just can't believe it," McKenzie said.

"Well, technology has allowed us to do so much nowadays."

"No, not that," McKenzie continued. "I _mean_ I can't believe Piccolo would cross us like that." Then he added, "What about _her_?"

"Kristin? No, she doesn't suspect a thing," Alex said. "She seems as fed up with Bridger as I am. She'll be glad to be rid of him."

"So, how is this going to work?" McKenzie asked.

"We'll be _'fashionably late'_," Alex explained. "While the crew is waiting for us, _kaboom_."

"Oh no!" Kristin thought. She knew she had to warn Nathan, although she had already tried before. Unfortunately, he didn't want to listen to her. And, could she blame him? Not really. He thought she was a drug lord's whore because that was the act, the role she was playing. She had her reasons for not telling the truth, but she never thought she'd come face to face with anyone she knew either. She always thought she'd find Cynthia and Malique, she'd call up Nathan, and things would go back to normal. She never dreamed it would happen this way. She only hoped she got the chance to tell him the truth when all was said and done.

To her relief, Jacob left, and Alex got ready for bed. He was soon asleep, which gave Kristin her chance. She knew Nathan sleeping habits, so she knew he often had trouble sleeping. Unfortunately, she didn't know what room he was in, but she hoped he'd be upset about seeing her. And, she hoped she'd find him down by the beach, or at least another crew member. Even Wendy would be better than anyone at the moment. She threw on a robe and quietly slipped out the door.

A short time later, she was outside. She headed towards the beach and began walking along the shoreline. It wasn't long before she could see a man's silhouette under the moonlight-Nathan.

She walked a little closer. "Hello, Sailor," she said, trying to keep the mood light.

Nathan sighed. "How did you know I'd be out here?"

Kristin sat down next to him. "Because I know you."

"Well, at least _one_ of us can say that," Nathan said.

"I deserved that," Kristin admitted.

"Yeah, you do. I thought I knew you."

"You do," Kristin insisted. "It's just complicated."

"You keep saying that," Nathan said. "If it's so complicated, why can't you tell me the truth?"

"I-I," Kristin stammered. Nathan searched her eyes for the truth, and it killed her she couldn't say it. She quickly looked away. "I just can't."

"So, is that what you came out here to tell me?"

Kristin shook her head. "No," she said quietly. "I've come to convince you to leave."

Nathan rolled his eyes. "Are you still going to go on about that?"

"Yes, well this time, I have _proof,_" Kristin replied. "Alex is going to have bomb planted in the room. He's going to make sure you and your crew are the only ones in there when it blows up," Kristin said. "Please don't go."

"I can't just not go," Nathan said. "I have orders."

"Damn your military orders!" Kristin yelled. "Peoples' lives are at stake here."

"That hasn't seemed to bother you for the past several months," Nathan replied sarcastically. "What the hell do you care if I live or die anyway?"

"Because I _do_," she said. "Despite what you think, what kind of person you think I am, or was, or have become, there's one thing that _hasn't _changed, Nathan. I care about you, and I _do_ care if you live or die. And, I don't _want_ that for you, for _any_ of you."

"As kind as those sentiments are," Nathan said, "the UEO expects us to capture Mangos dead or alive. And we're to do that."

"No!" Kristin shouted.

"I knew it," Nathan said. "You're just trying to protect him. You don't care about me."

"Nathan, that's _not _true," Kristin pleaded. "Please, you _have_ to believe me!"

"How can you expect me to trust you?" Nathan asked. He turned to walk away. "I'm sorry, but my orders aren't changing. You can kiss Alex goodbye."

Kristin watched Nathan walk away as she sat down and cried miserably. She didn't know what else to do.


	25. SOS

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, 'SOS' from Mamma Mia by Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube .com (backslash) watch?v (equals) 6nT9T_3tx90**

**Chapter 25**

Kristin finally accepted the fact Nathan was unwilling to listen. She headed back to her room in hopes she would have the chance to see him in the morning to give him one last warning. Luckily for her, Alex was sound asleep, so he hadn't noticed her leave or return. She really wasn't in the mood for sleeping, but she didn't know what else to do. Besides, she had the sinking feeling she would need all the sleep she could get.

The next morning, she awoke to Alex rustling around the room.

As Kristin stirred, Alex said, "Well, good morning, Sleepyhead. I was wondering when you were going to join us. Are you feeling better?"

"A little. What time is it?"

"A little after nine. Are you hungry? I had room service bring up some breakfast."

Kristin was a little hungry. She grabbed a muffin and a cup of coffee from the room service cart and quickly ate.

As Alex entered the bathroom to wash up and get dressed, Kristin called to him. "What time is your meeting, Dear?"

"Later this morning," Alex replied. "Eleven thirty." A short time later, he emerged from the bathroom dressed and ready for the day. "What are your plans for the day?"

Kristin hesitated a bit. "I'm not sure. Maybe I'll go down and sit by the pool for a while."

"You are looking a little pale," Alex noted. "A little sun would do you good."

"I'll be back in time for the meeting though," Kristin said.

Alex shook his head. "You don't need to be there."

"But, I always go to your meetings with you, at least when it's something like this," Kristin protested.

"Well, _this_ time, you don't need to be. In fact, after you get some sun, why don't you go to town and do a little shopping?" He was trying to get her away from the hotel, Kristin realized.

She nodded. "I suppose that would be nice." She managed a small smile.

"That's my girl," Alex said, rather pleased with himself. "Listen, I need to meet with Jacob and Kevin before the meeting. I guess I'll see you later, hm? Oh, I'll have Moose and Bear guard you, as usual though." He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Have a great day."

"You too," Kristin said. As Alex left, she tried to come up with a plan of her own. She sighed as she finished her muffin and coffee. Then she headed to the bathroom to grab a quick shower. Then, she dressed in a bathing suit and tied a wrap around her waist. She grabbed a book from her bag and left the room. When she emerged from the room Moose and Bear were waiting for her.

"Oh, boys, I really don't think it's necessary," Kristin said, waving a hand. "I'm sure I'll be fine."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but we have our orders. Mr. Mangos was very adament that we don't leave you out of our sight for even a minute," Bear replied.

Kristin looked disappointed. Moose noted this, and added, "We promise we won't smother you. There must be a reason for Mr. Mangos' worry. We're just supposed to make sure you're safe."

"Well, thank you," Kristin replied. "I appreciate that. Well, I'm headed to the pool."

So, the group all walked to the outdoor pool. Kristin quickly scanned the pool area for Nathan but didn't see him. She sighed and sat down in one of the lounge chairs while Moose and Bear gave her some space, but they made a point to keep a close watch on her. She opened her book and tried to focus on the page in front of her. However, her attention was lacking.

A few moments later, she heard a gentle clearing of a throat. She looked up from her book, and saw Wendy. Immediately, Moose and Bear flocked to her side.

"You can call your dogs off," Wendy said. "I just want to talk."

"It's alright, boys," Kristin said, waving them off.

The bodyguards immediately retreated.

Wendy motioned towards the vacant chair next to Kristin. "Do you mind if I sit down?"

"Be my guest," Kristin said.

However, Wendy noted the cold tone in her voice. "I just want you to know that the captain and I are just friends."

Kristin snorted. "Yes, well, you two certainly looked friendly last night," she replied sarcastically, still pretending to read.

"I'm not going to lie to you; I was somewhat attracted to him," Wendy continued.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Wendy sighed. "Please," she said, placing a hand on Kristin's, causing Kristin to look at her, "just listen."

Kristin closed the book and set it down next to her. "Very well."

"As I said, I was attracted to him, but, honestly, I think we were both reaching."

"Reaching?"

Wendy nodded. "I was looking for some sort of connection on the _seaQuest_. I'm an empath, and you might be surprised by this, but it makes it difficult to make friends. They always seem to think I'm reading their minds. I'd _never_ do that, not without permission."

"It's illegal," Kristin replied.

"Yes, and well, the captain was emotionally weak himself. He missed you, and he was making the attempt to move on. We shared a kiss and a dance...and some intimate conversation. But, I'm telling you _that's_ it. We decided we were better as friends, and that's all we are."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Well, Doctor, although I can't read you without your permission, I can still feel feelings. And, I can see by the look on your face that you don't seem to like me. Listen, I didn't do anything wrong. _You_ decided to opt out of the tour, and _you_ broke it off with the captain. That isn't _my_ fault."

Kristin softened a bit. "I'm sorry; you're right. I used you as a scapegoat, and it was wrong. I shouldn't hold you resposible for _my_ actions."

"I'm only sorry we couldn't have met on better terms," Wendy replied. "The crew members that served with you speak very highly of you. It's an honor to finally meet the great Dr. Westphalen."

Kristin blushed slightly. "I'm not as great as they say."

"Well, there's no telling _them_ that."

"Look, uh, Dr. Smith, if I told you something, would you believe me?" Kristin asked.

"Please call me Wendy. And, well, I suppose it depends on what it is."

"It's about the meeting, Wendy. It's a trap, and I've been trying to convince Nathan that it's too dangerous. There's a bomb planted in the room," Kristin said quietly, not wanting to alert the other guests near the pool.

"The captain mentioned that," Wendy said.

"He did?"

Wendy nodded. "The captain _does_ need to confide in someone once in a while. You might remember that."

"Do _you_ believe me?"

"Well, the captain seems to think you're trying to protect Mangos," Wendy replied.

"That's not true," Kristin said. "Not in the least."

At that moment, Nathan entered the pool area. "Dr. Smith, I was looking for you."

"Hi," Wendy said. "Is there something you needed?"

"No, I just wanted to see that you were prepared for the meeting," Nathan said.

"Uh, I suppose I should go get my notes in order." She looked at Kristin, "If you'll excuse me, Doctor."

"Please call me Kristin," Kristin replied. Then she added, "Please consider what I've told you."

Wendy nodded and left.

"What was that all about?" Nathan asked Kristin.

Noticing a someone new had approached Kristin, Moose and Bear were once again at her side.

Nathan held up his hands in a surrender-like pose. "I'm not going to do anything to her."

Moose and Bear looked at Kristin expectantly.

"It's no worry, boys."

They obediently left the two alone.

"Wendy and I were just getting acquainted," Kristin replied. "Is that a problem?"

"Well, frankly, I don't want you tainting any of my crew," Nathan said.

"Tainting your crew? Oh, please, Nathan."

"So, you didn't try to convince her to talk to me about backing out of the meeting?"

Kristin was silent.

"That's what I thought. Well, if you'll excuse me." Nathan turned to leave.

Kristin stood and grabbed his arm. "Nathan, please. I just don't want to see anything happen to you."

"I think it's too late for that," Nathan said as he wriggled his arm out of her grasp and walked away.

Kristin sighed. She'd tried and tried _and _tried, but she'd failed miserably. She decided she wasn't in the mood to continue sitting near the pool anymore, so she went back to grab her book. She summoned Moose and Bear and headed back up to her room.

When she opened the door, she was shocked to see Alex. He was holding her cellular phone. "I thought you were going to be out all day?" she said.

"Moose, Bear, I don't think I'll need your services anymore today," Alex said, sending them away before turning back to Kristin. Once they were alone, he said, "Yes, well, I came back to the room because I forgot some notes. And it's the funniest thing," Alex said, but Kristin could not the sarcasm in his voice, "your phone was ringing."

Kristin hadn't thought anything of leaving it upstairs. "Who was it?"

"Your friend Maggie," Alex replied. "And she and I had a very _interesting_ conversation."

Alex stood and walked towards her, causing Kristin to take a few steps back. She didn't like the way Alex was looking at her, and she had the feeling her world was about to fall apart.

"Alex, I can explain," she said.

Alex laughed evilly. "I should have known better than to trust you," Alex continued. "You know, Jacob and Kevin told me you were bad news, but I defended you. And, all this time, they were right. You've made me look like an idiot, and I hate that."

Kristin's anger flashed as Alex spoke. "Well, if you wouldn't have brought my daughter into this, none of this would have happened," she shouted back.

Alex laughed again. "I didn't know that until Maggie mentioned you were looking for Cynthia and Malique. It's too bad you'll never see them again, though."

"What have you done with them?" Kristin asked, nearly pleading with him to tell her.

"Oh, I'll tell you where they are, but you'll never get out of here to rescue them. They're at my home down south. They've been working for me, and let me just say, you're daughter's really good at shaking her ass. She's made me a lot of money pushing drugs."

"Go to hell," Kristin spat.

"I think you'll be there first," Alex said as he walked towards the door and left the room.

Kristin wasn't too worried at first until she realized Alex took the key with him. For security reasons, most hotel rooms had converted to a system where one needed a key both to enter and exit a room. Kristin searched frantically for an extra key, but found none. Not only was she locked in, but she realized that the adjoining room was locked as well, the adjoining room where the meeting was to be held, the adjoining room where the bomb was.

Kristin willed herself not to panic, however. "I'll just call downstairs and tell them I'm locked in," she muttered. But, much to her dismay, the phone cords had all been cut, and Alex had taken her cell phone battery out. She was _trapped._


	26. Sorry for Love

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, 'Sorry For Love' by Celine Dion: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) vfS8j7cXDfg**

**Chapter 26**

Kristin quickly looked around for a solution to her predicament. Her first thought was the window, but she was ten floors up, and that didn't seem very feasible. She tried pounding on the outside door and calling, but no one seemed to hear her. She realized that Alex had taken his luggage with him; that meant he'd fled the vicinity-that also meant that Nathan and the others should be entering the room about this time, considering it was nearly time.

She walked to the set of adjoining doors and listened. Sure enough, she heard voices. She knocked on the door. "Hello?"

In the other room, the crew members talked amongst each other. Wendy sat nearest the adjoining doors. She couldn't hear the sound very well, but she was sure she heard a voice. "Shhh," she told the others. "Does anyone else hear that?"

"Please," Kristin called. "I'm in here, and I'm locked in. Can anyone hear me?"

Nathan immediately stood up and walked to the door. "Kristin? Is that you?"

"Yes," she said. "Nathan, please. You need to get everyone out of there. There's a bomb!"

"Kristin, if this is another one of your tricks-"

"Nathan, please," Kristin said, "I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you before. I-I had my reasons, but now I can tell you what I should have told you in the first place. I was the man on the inside."

"What?" Nathan said in shock. "Kristin, stop trying to protect Alex."

"Nathan, I'm _not_," Kristin insisted. "There's no way I'd ever be in love with someone like that. I was the one working for the UEO, but, after a while, I stopped wearing the communication device. And, they didn't like that. Look, I can explain this all later, but we need to all get out of here first."

"How can I possibly trust you?" Nathan asked. He wanted to believe her, but she had changed so much. There were so many unanswered questions, he didn't know if he could trust her completely.

Kristin was near tears when he asked that. She didn't know how else to convince him. After a few moments, she said, "Wendy."

"What?" Nathan asked, confused.

"Wendy, please read me," Kristin insisted.

Wendy looked to Nathan, as if she was asking permission. Nathan nodded. Wendy closed her eyes for a few minutes. In moments, she was nearly in tears herself from all the emotions Kristin was giving off, but she quickly composed herself and said, "She's telling the truth, Sir."

"Kristin, I'm sorry I didn't believe you; it's just I had to be sure," Nathan called.

"Nathan, we don't have time for that at the moment. I understand; I really do, but please help me get out of here."

"I'll just go down and get another key," Lucas said, walking to the door. But, as he tried the door handle, he found theirs was locked as well. It had been left open for the meeting and none of them relocked it. "Oh no," Lucas said.

Lonnie checked the phone. "Our phone lines have been cut," she announced.

"Does anyone hear ticking?" Tony asked.

The others nodded and started looking around the room.

Meanwhile, Nathan continued to talk to Kristin. "It seems we're locked in as well," he informed her. Nathan could here some muffled sounds through the door, sounds that sounded like crying. "Sweetheart?"

"Yes?" Kristin replied weakly.

"It's going to be alright," he said, trying to believe it himself. "We've been in worse situations than this, haven't we?"

"Yes, I suppose so," Kristin said. "Except I can't see the hope in sight at the moment."

"Found it," Tony called out.

"What did he find?" Kristin asked.

"The bomb," Nathan replied.

It was a small black tank with wires and a digital clock on the top that was counting down. It had been strategically hidden underneath a small table underneath the table cloth. The good news was they had nearly fifteen minutes to figure out a plan.

"Does anyone happen to know how to disarm one of these things?" Tony asked as he began messing with the wires.

Ford stopped him. "Don't do that!"

"Why not?" Tony asked.

"Because," Brody explained, "one wrong move could make it go off early."

"Unfortunately, none of us are bomb experts," Lucas said as he bent down to take a look at the device. "But, this thing is basically a computer. I might be able to-"

"No," Nathan said in protest. "None of you are touching that thing. It's too dangerous. We'll have to find another way."

Tony piped up, "Well, if there's one thing I know, Sir, it's how to break out of confined areas." He walked over to the outer door to inspect it. "Fortunately for us, it looks pretty, but it's not as structurally sound as one might think. A few of us should be able to break it down." He motioned to Brody, Ford, and Ortiz. "Help me grab the couch."

"You're going to use the couch as a battering ram?" Lonnie asked in a shocked tone.

"Do you have any better ideas?"

Lonnie shook her head, and the men proceeded to pick up the couch while the others stood back and allowed them to have enough room to ram the door.

As they did so, Nathan said to Kristin, "Kristin, Sweetheart, I want you to stand back. I'm going to try to break the door down."

Kristin obeyed, but said, "Don't hurt yourself, Dear."

"I won't," Nathan promised as he stood back from the door a few feet and ran into in with his body, trying to break it free.

Meanwhile, the men achieved success and called out, "We did it."

Nathan stopped ramming Kristin's door and yelled, "Everybody out."

They all started towards the door, but Lucas lagged behind. "What about you, Cap?"

"I'll catch up with you. Just get out as quickly as you can, and try to warn the manager."

Lucas just stood there for a minute.

"Lucas, that's an order!"

Lucas turned and did as he was told. Nathan looked at the clock of the bomb and saw that there was less than five minutes left now. He once again began ramming Kristin's door once again.

"Nathan, how much time's left?" she asked after several seconds.

"Less than five minutes," he admitted.

"N-nathan, it's no use. Just go and save yourself," she said, nearly in tears. "Just promise me you'll find Cynthia. Mangos has her in Southern Andros."

"Kristin, no, I'm not leaving you," Nathan called as he continued to ram the door.

Kristin began sobbing when suddenly the door started to crack and break free. Nathan burst into the room and grabbed her hand. "Told you I wouldn't leave you," he said. "Now run like the wind because we have less than a minute."

The pair of them ran back through the door and down the long corridor. They nearly reached the end when the bomb went off. Nathan pushed Kristin down and covered her body with his as best as he could. He only hoped they'd make it out alive.


	27. How Do I Live?

**A/N: I just want to express my thanks and appreciation for all the readers and reviewers; I am grateful for the support. My apologies for not being able to post one more chapter yesterday. I did try, but real life threw a wrench in the works. Thank you.**

**Inspiration for this chapter, 'How Do I Live' by Trisha Yearwood: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) RFnD3uwKHag**

**Chapter 27**

After the blast, thick smoke filled the corridor. It was apparent that the room was on fire. Nathan rolled off of Kristin and winced in pain. "A-are you alright?" he asked her.

Kristin sat up. "I-I think so," Kristin replied. "You?"

"Nothing that can't be fixed," Nathan said. But, as he tried to move, the smoke created a thick veil around them. They both began coughing as they tried to breathe.

"I-I don't think I can go on," Nathan said through coughs. It wasn't long before he passed out from the lack of oxygen.

Kristin continued to cough against the smoke, and the tried to make her way to the door that led to the stairs. She was nearly there, she thought, but, before she knew what was happening, she'd passed out as well.

The next thing Kristin knew, she woke up on a gurney outside the hotel. She was wearing an oxygen mask, and two paramedics hovered over her, one paying attention to her heart rate while the other checked her vital signs.

Kristin tried to sit up.

"Take it easy, ma'am," one of the medics said. "You've inhaled quite a bit of smoke."

But Kristin didn't seem to care. She pulled the mask off her face and asked, "Where's Nathan?" through coughs.

One of the medics replaced the mask on her face and urged her to lie back down. "Calm down, ma'am. Your friend is going to be fine, a little worse off than you, I'm afraid. Still, he should make a full recovery, nonetheless. We're taking you both to the hospital."

As Kristin felt the gurney being lifted into the ambulance, she did calm down. Knowing that Nathan was alive and well set her at ease. She closed her eyes once again and breathed slowly, feeling thankful to be alive, but absolutely exhausted at the same time.

Luckily, there were no other injuries or casualties. All the other guests staying on that floor weren't in their rooms at the time, and Lucas was able to alert the manager, causing him to pull the fire alarm. Everyone else got out safely.

The _seaQuest_ crew gathered around Nathan's gurney as paramedics pushed it into another ambulance. "Are they going to be alright?" Lucas asked.

One of the medics nodded. "He's inhaled a lot of smoke, and he's got some second degree burns, but he should mend well. Your other friend will be fine too. She breathed in too much smoke as well, but she'll be fine after a little oxygen and some rest."

The other medic added. "We've called a cab for all of you; you can follow us to the hospital."

And so, a short time later, the ambulances and the cab arrived at the hospital. Nathan and Kristin were treated and placed in recovery rooms while the crew waited patiently in the waiting room.

Once they were settled inside, Jonathan took it upon himself to call Admiral Noyce and inform him of their situation. Wendy offered to help him.

After Jonathan had explained the story to Noyce, he said, "Well, thank God they're alright."

"Admiral," Wendy said, "I''d like permission to take be able to take over their medical care once I speak with the doctors here."

"Well, naturally, you would take over the captain's care," Noyce replied, somewhat confused.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but you're not understanding me. I'd like permission to bring Dr. Westphalen aboard as well."

Before Admiral Noyce could protest, Jonathan broke in once again, "Please, Sir. Our mission isn't over yet. Mangos is still on the loose, and we've recently discovered that Cynthia Westphalen are Malique Martin are still alive and being held hostage in Southern Andros. We can't leave Dr. Westphalen alone."

Admiral Noyce thought for a moment. Then he said, "Very well. But, when she's well enough, I would like to speak with Dr. Westphalen myself."

Wendy smiled knowingly. "I'm sure she wants to speak with you too, Sir. I have a feeling she's going to want a job."

"Just keep me posted. Let me know when you're all back on _seaQues_t."

"Hopefully tonight, Sir," Ford replied.

They said their goodbyes and cut the link.

Meanwhile, Kristin began to stir once again as a nurse checked her vitals. Oxygen was still being administered, but instead of the bulky mask, it was now a thin tube that fit into the nostrils.

"Well, hello, Dear," a nurse with a kind smile said. "How are you feeling?"

"A-alright," Kristin replied.

"Well, that's good. The doctor wants you to continue to breathe the oxygen while you're awake. Then, he wants us to remove it and see if you can breathe on your own."

"What about Nathan?" she asked. "He's my friend; if I remember correctly, someone told me he was alive, but being brought here too."

The nurse nodded knowingly. "Yes, Dear, he is alive. But, I'm sorry, you can't see him right now. You both need your rest. But, I promise you'll be able to see him soon."

Kristin nodded sadly. She expected as much, but she was hopeful. The nurse noticed her sadness.

She patted her arm gently, "Cheer up, Dear. You have a group of friends waiting for you. I'm sure I can arrange for one or two of them to come and see you. Would that be alright?"

Kristin nodded gratefully.

The nurse continued checking her vitals. "Well, you seem to be doing fine at the moment. You just lie back and rest, and I'll let the doctor know you're awake. And, I'll see about letting your friends visit you for a few minutes. By the way, my name's Leia, and you just press this button if you need anything."

"Thank you very much," Kristin replied, trying to offer a smile as the kind nurse left the room. Kristin sighed. There were so many thoughts running through her head, mainly of Nathan and Cynthia. She knew one thing for sure; she couldn't wait to have a long talk with Nathan.

A short time later, a young male doctor entered the room. "Hello, Kristin. May I call you Kristin? My name's Dr. Burke, and I've been overseeing your treatment. How are you feeling?"

"I feel better than I did earlier," she admitted, "but I'm tired, and my lungs hurt."

Dr. Burke nodded. "That's to be expected from the lack of oxygen. Listen, I want you to stay on the oxygen for now and rest. In about an hour or so, we'll remove the oxygen tube, and see how well you can breathe on your own. If you do well, you might be able to go home; how does that sound?"

"Good," Kristin replied, but the mention of that made her worried. She hadn't really thought of where she was going to go from there. Nathan and the rest of the _seaQues_t would be leaving, surely. What about her?

"Great," Dr. Burke replied, "Do you have any questions?"

"The nurse mentioned I might be allowed some visitors?" Kristin asked.

The doctor thought for a moment. "I suppose that would be alright; just don't overdo it. I'll let Leia know."

Leia entered the waiting room and found the crew. "Excuse me," she said sweetly. "Kristin is awake and would like some visitors. However, the doctor says only two of you, and only for a short time. She needs her rest."

Lucas stood up. None of the others protested, since they knew Lucas and Krisitn were close. But, the crew members who had served with her on the first tour looked at each other, wondering who should be the next to go.

"Do you mind if I go?" Wendy asked the others. She turned to Jonathan, who was sitting next to her. "I wanted to tell her the news," she explained.

Jonathan nodded and looked at the others for permission. They all agreed, knowing there would be time enough to see Kristin later.

"Right this way then," Leia said as she led Wendy and Lucas to Kristin's room.

When they reached the door, Leia turned to them. "No more than fifteen minutes. You should be able to see her more later."

They nodded and said, "Thank you." As Leia left, they quietly entered the room. Wendy stayed back and allowed Lucas to approach Kristin first.

"Hi, Doc," he replied quietly. "How're you feeling?"

Kristin shifted to be able to see him better, winced slightly, but smiled and said, "Nothing a hug can't cure. Get over here."

Lucas obliged and embraced her. However, he didn't give her the tight squeeze he wanted since he wasn't sure if he'd hurt her.

"You don't need to be so gentle," she said into his ear. "I won't break."

Lucas squeezed her tighter, and she did the same.

"Oh, I've missed that," Kristin said as Lucas released her and pulled up a chair next to her bed.

"Me too," he said. "So, you're going to be OK?"

"That's what they tell me," she said. "I've inhaled a lot of smoke. My lungs hurt a bit, but I'll be fine." Then she added, "I-I just want to tell you I'm sorry."

"For what?" Lucas asked, confused.

"For leaving, for not being able to tell you the truth...and for missing your eighteenth birthday," Kristin replied.

"Oh, Doc, I understand," Lucas replied sincerely. "Besides, I knew you'd never really be in love with a drug dealer. I have to say, the hair color is interesting though."

"Well, as soon as I'm well enough, I'll be dying it back. I don't think blonde is my color," Kristin admitted.

"Tell you what," Lucas said, "as soon as you're better, you and I can have a private birthday celebration, just you and me."

Kristin liked the sound of that, but she knew it wasn't possible. "I'd love to, Lucas, but I'm sure you and everyone else will have to get back."

"Actually," Wendy broke in, "that's why I'm here."

Kristin was surprised to see her since she hadn't even noticed her yet. "Wendy?" Kristin said.

Wendy nodded and walked closer to her. "I hope you don't mind that it's me and not someone closer to you, but I wanted your permission. Commander Ford and I spoke to Admiral Noyce and told him everything that happened. By the way, he says he's glad you're alright."

"You mean he isn't angry with me that I almost killed his captain?" Kristin asked. She and Admiral Noyce didn't always see eye to eye, and she was sure he'd be angry with her.

"I think he knows it's not your fault," Wendy continued. "Anyway, as you know, we'll have to return to _seaQuest_, at least until the captain is well enough to continue."

"Yes, I know," Kristin said sadly. Then, it finally dawned on her what Wendy had said. "D-did you say continue?"

"Of course," Wendy said. "You didn't really think we'd leave it at that? Mangos is still on the loose. And apparently, there's a rescue mission to be conducted as well."

"You mean the UEO agrees to rescue my daughter...and Malique?" Kristin asked in surprise. "They'd said they were dead."

"Commander Ford set him straight," Wendy explained. "And there's something else I need to ask you."

"Yes?"

"Once you're released from here, would you be willing to let me take over your care?" Wendy asked hopefully.

"But that means Kristin began.

Wendy nodded. "The admiral agreed to let you come aboard _seaQuest_. Once you're there, he wants to speak with you, but then, you'll be our guest, at least until the mission is over. But, I'm sure the admiral would be willing to give you a job, that is, if you wanted one."

Kristin couldn't believe it. She was nearly in tears because she was so happy.

Lucas saw her eyes and glistening. "Doc?" He handed her a tissue from the bedside table.

"Thank you," she muttered as she wiped her eyes. She turned back to Wendy. "I can't believe you're being so nice to me, after the way I treated you."

Wendy placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I have to tell you, I knew the whole time you didn't mean it. I might not be able to read you without permission, but you certainly do a lot of mental screaming. We empaths tend to pick up on that. I knew it was an act the whole time."

"You knew, and you didn't say anything?" Lucas asked.

"I knew it wasn't my place," Wendy said. She turned back to Kristin, "So what do you say?"

Kristin nodded. "Yes, and thank you so much." Wendy just stood there, so Kristin said to her, "Get over here and let me thank you properly. She pulled the younger woman into a tight embrace.

At that moment, Leia walked in. "I'm sorry," she replied, but your fifteen minutes are up."

Lucas gave Kristin one last hug, and Wendy and Lucas left the room.

Once she was alone, Kristin felt much better knowing the mission wasn't over after all, and she soon feel asleep, being able to rest much easier.


	28. Never Gonna Be Alone

**A/N: I need an opinion from you, the reader. Originally, when I started this story, I thought it would be around thirty chapters. I think that's changed, since I know the story won't be finished in two more chapters. Now, I'm guessing there might be several more chapters now, maybe up to a dozen. However, I'm already planning a sequel. Now, the story has been canon so far, but it's going to shift to AU because there will be no Hyperion Incident; I just want to mention that now. Now, obviously, the **_**seaQuest**_** still needs to save Cynthia and Malique and capture Mangos. Then, I have a special surprise for the end. But, I was thinking I could drop the sequel and make it all one story. However, that would make the story probably around 60 chapters...or possibly more. Now, my question for you is, would you like a story that long? Or would you prefer I break it into two stories? To let you know what the storyline will be, it will be Nathan finding Robert and Michael. I do realize it's been done before, but it's never been done by me. I've thought of several scenarios of what could have happened, and I think I have something no one's done before. The reason why I think it would be better as one story is because it fits with my title, and I think the saying could go for several scenarios. So, I suppose the way you can answer me is through review. However, I do realize some people prefer not to review no matter what. If that's the case, feel free to send me a private message. If no one cares, well, then I will probably just make it all one story. However, that means it won't be finished by next week. Honestly, I can't say it will be finished by next week as it is, but I'm trying. Anyway, please think about what you would like as the readers. I'd greatly appreciate feedback on this, so speak now, or forever hold your piece. Thank you.**

**Inspiration for the chapter, 'Never Gonna Be Alone' by Nickelback: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) Nt2kM0TsubU&ob (equals) av2n**

**Chapter 28**

A short time later, Nathan awoke in a similar fashion to Kristin. Leia was checking his vitals as well.

"Oh, glad to see you're awake, Mr. Bridger. How are you feeling?"

Nathan shifted slightly, and he could tell his back had been burned. He felt like he'd an awful sunburn, and his lungs hurt. "I've been better," he admitted.

Leia smiled. "Don't worry; you'll live. Your friend is fine by the way, thanks to you. She told the doctor you shielded her from the blast. She's sleeping in the next room."

Nathan breathed a sigh of relief to that. "I don't suppose I'll get to see her anytime soon, will I?" he asked hopefully.

"Not at the moment. But, if things go well, you two will be released by the evening. The doctor will be in shortly to talk to you."

Shortly thereafter, the doctor did arrive, as promised. He told Nathan the same thing he told Kristin. He wanted him on oxygen until they could be sure he'd breathe on his own. But, in Nathan's case, another concern were his burns. They weren't terribly serious, but they still had to be watched.

"But, if you seem well enough," Dr. Burke promised, "we've already agreed to release you _and_ Kristin to the care of Dr. Smith. I expect you'll be released later today."

"Kristin will be under Dr. Smith's care too?" Nathan asked.

Dr. Burke nodded. "Perhaps I should have some of your visitors explain it to you. But, then you need to rest."

Nathan agreed, and Lucas and Commander Ford visited Nathan and explained the whole thing.

"By the way," Ford added afer they were finished, "Admiral Noyce managed to keep the publicity on the down low. That way, nothing will be leaked to Mangos. The UEO wants him to continue to think that we all died in the blast."

"That's good thinking," Nathan agreed. "And, we should have a couple of weeks to think of a plan while I'm recovering."

"Is that how long you need to take it easy?" Lucas asked.

Nathan nodded. "For my burns," he explained.

Leia then entered the room, shooing Lucas and Jonathan away.

"See you later, Cap," Lucas said as he and Jonathan left the room.

Nathan and Kristin both rested for a while, and then, their oxygen was removed. Both of them did well and were able to breathe on their own.

So, by early evening, launches were prepared, and Nathan and Kristin were transferred from the hospital. Kristin was grateful that Wendy had made it a point to ensure that she and Nathan were on the same launch. It was the first time either of them were seeing each other since this morning.

As Nathan's bed was wheeled in next to her, she turned her head and said, "Hi, Sailor."

Nathan turned to her and replied, "Hey there, yourself." The beds were close enough so they could touch each other. He reached out to her, took her hand and brought it to his lips and kissed it. Then he continued to hold it tightly. "I'm so glad to have you with me."

Kristin smiled. "Me too. And I need to thank you."

"For what?"

"For saving my life."

"I'd do anything for you," Nathan replied.

Dr. Smith appeared a moment later to make sure their cots were secure before the launch left. "Hey, you two, there'll be enough time for that," she quipped. Then she added, "I'll arrange for you two to be in the same room so you can catch up."

They both thanked her gratefully. Then, Kristin turned to Nathan, "Good, because we have a lot to talk about."

Nathan agreed as the launch began to move.

**Back on **_**seaQuest**_

As Wendy promised, Nathan and Kristin were placed into the same room. She at least wanted them both in medbay overnight, possibly longer if necessary. Even once they were released, they would both be under strict orders to rest and take it easy.

Once in medbay, she gave each patient a thorough examination. Then she said, "Well, you two are doing well. I expect I can release you in the morning from medbay."

"Oh, wonderful," Nathan replied, not particularly enjoying the stay in medbay, even if he was with Kristin. He just wasn't fond of hospitals and being poked and prodded.

"_But_," Wendy continued, "you both will still need rest. That means _no_ working-for two weeks at least. And, if either of you defy those orders, you'll be back in here."

Kristin looked at Nathan, trying to wage if Wendy was being serious in her promise.

"Don't think she won't do it," Nathan said. "She's as tough as you were."

Kristin gave her a satisfied smile. "Then I approve."

"Thank you, Kristin," Wendy said with a smile. Then she walked a bit closer to her. "But, your charm won't sway me to give you any slack either." Her voice was sweet, but her words were sincere. Wendy knew that most times, doctors made the worst patients. She wanted to be firm before Kristin tried anything she shouldn't. Although Wendy didn't know Kristin that well, she'd heard she was stubborn.

Kristin nodded. "I'll be good."

"Good," Wendy replied. "Well, now that we have an understanding, I'll let you two rest. You know how to call me if you need anything. Oh, and the nurse will bring you some dinner shortly." With that, Wendy left the room, shutting the door behind her.

"So, did you ever think the day would end like this?" Nathan asked.

"Not at all," Kristin replied.

"So, what do you think of the new boat, well, what you've seen of it anyway?"

"It's nice," Kristin said. She gave a small smile. "I think I rather prefer the first, but this one's a close second."

"You really like the first boat better?" Nathan asked.

She nodded. "Yes. It's because the first one holds a lot of special memories for me, like the first time we met."

Nathan chuckled softly. "You know, that's when I first fell in love with you."

"You fell in love with me when I was telling off Commander Ford?" she asked in surprise. "What's so endearing about that?"

"Well, I knew then that you were a force to be reckoned with, and I wanted to try to tame you."

Kristin had to admit Nathan did have a way of stifling her anger. "You know when I fell in love with you?"

Nathan shook his head.

"When we were arguing about Darwin," Kristin admitted. "I knew then that you might not always take the favored opinion, but you would do what you thought was right, even if I didn't agree with you at the time."

"It all worked out OK, though."

Kristin nodded.

Nathan reached over and grabbed her hand. "Yeah, I think we always did work well together, didn't we? And we made an even better couple."

"What are you saying?" Kristin asked, blushing slightly.

"I'm saying that now that we're together, I don't want to lose you again."

"I don't want to lose you either," Kristin replied. "But we'll have to deal with the UEO. I mean, I can't just expect them to give me CMO. And, I have to admit, I don't think I could handle _not _being in charge in medbay. If I wasn't, I'm afraid I'd step on Wendy's toes."

Nathan squeezed her hand. "We'll figure out something. Right now, I want to have a long talk. I want to know what you went through while we were apart."

"You're not angry about everything?" Kristin asked worriedly.

Nathan shook his head. "I have to admit, I was angry at first, since I though you and Alex...well, you know. But, now that I know it was all undercover, I can't believe the huge sacrifice you made."

"Nathan, I want you to know I never slept with Alex. I couldn't; oh, he wanted me to, but I enver even thought of it. I wasn't in love with him."

"You didn't have to tell me that," Nathan said. "Even if you had, we were broken up, and I really couldn't be upset about it. But, I'm glad you didn't. I have a confession to make though. Wendy and I shared a kiss...and a dance. But, I never slept with anyone else."

Kristin nodded. "I know; Wendy told me."

"She did? So, you're realizing she's not as bad as you thought?"

Kristin nodded. "I know; I shouldn't have been jealous of her. She does have many likeable qualities."

"But she's not you," Nathan reminded her.

"But, I approve of the replacement," Kristin said with a smile.

"So, tell me what happened after we spoke last," Nathan said.

As Kristin began her story, Nathan learned more about the woman he loved so dearly. Although he knew she was strong, he learned she was stronger than he ever could have imagined. He learned about Cynthia and Malique, Maggie and Crystal, and the two little orphans Kristin fell in love with. He made a mental note to find out about that when he got the chance. But there was thing Nathan knew for sure; he knew he loved Kristin more than anything at that moment and that he'd never let her go again.


	29. When I Look at You

**A/N: Well, the votes are in, although there weren't many who felt the need to tell me what they wanted. However, the two that did speak suggested a sequel, so that's what I'll do. Now, I'll just have to think of a great title, but I'm sure I'll think of something. Thank you for reading. Enjoy. Thank you.**

**Inspiration for the chapter, 'When I Look At You' by Miley Cyrus: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) 8wxOVn99FTE&ob (equals) av2n**

**Chapter 29**

**One week later**

Kristin and Nathan were mending well. As Wendy promised, they were allowed to retire to their own rooms. Nathan was in the captain's quarters, and Kristin opted for a room in guest quarters for the time being. Since they'd been apart for so long and endured so much in that short time, they wanted to take things slow and reconnect mentally before going in the physical direction. And, they were supposed to rest, so this was better for both of them.

However, the two spent their days together. Kristin would head to Nathan's room as soon as she awoke. Then, she would head to the mess and pick up breakfast. And, the two would eat and talk nearly the whole day. This time together made the two weeks of rest go by rather quickly for both of them.

In his spare time, Nathan was able to make a call to the orphanage in Nassau without Kristin's knowledge. He had wanted to speak with Maggie himself, and it wasn't long before he did talk to her. Kristin had been a little late one morning, and it was the perfect opportunity to put his plan in motion.

Kristin thought she heard Nathan talking to someone when she knocked on the door.

"Can you hold one minute?" she heard Nathan say.

"Sure," she heard a vaguely familiar voice answer.

"Come in," Nathan called.

Kristin walked in holding a tray piled with food, and two cups of coffee. Nathan hugged her and gave her a kiss.

"Good morning, Sweetheart," he said.

"Good morning to you too," she replied. "D-did I hear you talking to someone?"

Nathan nodded. "Yeah, actually, I was on the phone."

Kristin rolled her eyes slightly. "Don't tell me it was Bill again. Is he going to call _every_ day?"

Nathan laughed. Admiral Noyce had been making a lot of calls to check on the two of them. He had a nice long talk with the two of them. He told Nathan that he expected a full recovery and the capture of Mangos. And, he told Kristin that he did have a job in mind for her when all was said and done. "I wasn't talking to Bill," he said.

"Then who was it?" Kristin asked as she set the tray down on the table and began to dish out food onto two plates.

Nathan noticed her attire. "Hey, is that my shirt? I was looking for that."

Indeed, Kristin was wearing Nathan's shirt, and she'd borrowed some of Lucas' pants. "Well," she said, "the clothes I ordered still haven't arrived, and I thought your shirts looked better on me anyway. I didn't think I'd ever say it, but I think I actually miss Ben Krieg. Honestly, he might have been annoying, but he always got what I needed...and fast."

Nathan nodded. "Yes, Mr. Krieg did have a way of getting items quickly. But, I'm sure your clothes will arrive soon. And, I guess until that time, my closet is your closet."

"I thought you''d see it my way," Kristin said with a smile. "So, who _were_ you talking to?"

"Well, why don't you talk to her? She's on hold and waiting for you," Nathan said.

Kristin gave a confused look, wondering who in the world it could possibly be. "Fine," she replied. "But come and eat before it gets cold."

Nathan obliged and sat down, picking up a piece of turkey bacon and taking a bite as he turned his chair to watch the reaction on Kristin's face as she hit the button on the vid-screen.

Kristin let out a shocked, "Maggie?"

Maggie nodded. "Hi, Kristin. I wanted to apologize for what happened last week. I didn't know it was Mangos on the phone when I told him about you."

"Well, that's a long story there," Kristin began.

Maggie replied, "Yeah, I know. Captain Bridger told me everything."

"He did?" Kristin asked, turning to look at him. He just sat there with a mysterious smile plastered on his face as he chomped on his bacon. She couldn't figure why he looked that way, but she turned her attention back to Maggie.

"Well, I was just answering your note you left me," Maggie explained. "You wanted to know where Kristen and Harry were."

"Yes, I did," Kristin said, "but maybe it's best-"

"I think you'll be surprised," Maggie said. "You see Crystal and I knew how you felt about them. And, there were a lot of couples interested in them, but those two were dead set against anyone but you. So, Crystal and I had an idea. We got an apartment together with enough room for them. And, we've been fostering them until you can adopt."

Kristin was speechless. "You what?"

Maggie smiled. "Would you like to talk to them? They've been waiting to hear from you."

Kristin nodded with tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe it. Soon, the two little faces of the children appeared on the screen.

"Hi, Mom," Harry said.

"Hello, Mommy," Kristen replied.

Kristin never thought she'd hear those words from them. "Hello," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "Have you two been good?"

They both nodded. "Yes, we've been very good. Miss Maggie and Miss Crystal have been taking care of us very well," Kristen replied. "And, Harry's not sick anymore."

Kristin gave Harry a look. She hadn't really noticed since he always wore a baseball cap before. But, Harry took his hat off to reveal a head full of hair.

"I've been in remission for two months now," Harry said proudly. "I can't wait to see you in person."

"Me either," Kristin said. "Hopefully, it will be very soon."

Maggie appeared next to them. "I explained to them why you can't be with them yet."

"And you two understand?" Kristin asked, worried they might be upset.

"Yeah," Kristen said. "We know you have to make sure Miss Cynthia is safe. But we can't wait until your our mom for real."

"I promise it won't be long," Kristin said. "I love you both so much." Then she looked at Maggie and mouthed, "Thank you." since tears were flowing, and it was difficult to speak.

"We love you too."

Soon the link was cut, and Nathan walked up behind Kristin and placed a hand on her trembling shoulders. "Are you happy?" he asked.

She turned to embrace him. "Oh, yes, Nathan!"

Nathan hugged her tightly, and a few moments later, Kristin was wiping her happy tears away. "I can't believe how lucky I am."

"Yeah, Maggie and Crystal did something very kind for you," Nathan replied as he sat back down to eat.

Kristin shook her head. "I wasn't talking about them; I was talking about you. If you'd have never called her, I never would have. And, I'd have never known my angels were waiting for me."

"Well, we're going to have to lobby the UEO for a bit more remodeling now," Nathan said matter-of-factly.

But Kristin looked worried. "Oh my God! I hadn't thought of that. Maybe this isn't such a good idea," she said in a panicked voice.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I'll have to leave," Kristin said. "Nathan, I love you, but this is no place for children."

Nathan scoffed. "What are you saying?"

"Well, why would the UEO agree to that? There's no reason they'd agree to allow children on the _seaQuest_."

"I think you're forgetting a certain sixteen-year old," Nathan replied.

"That's not the same thing," Kristin said. "You and I both know that Lucas wasn't exactly excited to be here at first. And, it was only because his parents didn't know where else to put him."

"But, do you think for a second that Lucas would trade those last two years if he could?" Nathan challenged.

Kristin thought for a moment. "No," she said quietly. "But, Harry and Kristen are young, much younger than Lucas."

"We've had children onboard before," Nathan pointed out.

"Yes, but not full time. And," Kristin replied, "it wasn't always a walk in the park. Remember the children from the munitions depot?"

Nathan nodded, laughing slightly. "Yeah, the twins gave Crocker a run for his money."

"Exactly," Kristin pointed out. "And, not only would we need rooms for them; they'd need tutors and someone to watch them when I'm working."

"You mean we," Nathan said.

"What?"

"You mean when _we're _working," Nathan repeated. "I kind of thought this was a joint deal."

"You mean you want to adopt them too?"

"Well, we're a couple again, aren't we?"

"Yes, but...we're not married."

"Kristin, this is the twenty-first century. People don't have to be married to adopt as a couple anymore."

"I know," she said.

"And, little Kristen did tell me how much she wanted a daddy," Nathan explained.

"You're in love with them too," Kristin affirmed.

"It's kind of hard not to love them," Nathan agreed.

"OK, fine," Kristin said. "Even so, we'll still need someone to watch them when we're both working."

"I'm sure the other crew members would happily agree," Nathan said.

"But that wouldn't be fair to them," Kristin explained. "And, they're children Nathan. They'll want to run around, to play. Can they do that on a submarine?"

"Maybe," Nathan said. "I'll have a playground installed."

"Very funny, Nathan," Kristin said. "What about missions?"

"What about them?"

"Well, what about when their mummy and daddy are on missions? How do we explain to them the dangers? How do we explain that we might come back injured, or possibly not at all?"

"Kristin, they're bright kids; they'd understand," Nathan started.

"You're not getting the point," she said. "Those children have been waiting for parents. And, now they've found them. We can't just leave them now. They need structure. They need two people they can count on."

"They can count on us," Nathan argued. "Hell, you and I are the most dependable people I know."

"Maybe so, but not if we have to leave them everytime there's an emergency," Kristin explained.

Nathan sighed. The two sat in silence for a while, both lost in their own thoughts. They both wanted this to work, but Kristin did make some valid points. "Look, I'm not going to have you and the children living away from me," Nathan said. "What if we work it out where we wouldn't go on missions together? That way one of us would always be here."

"I-I suppose that's a start," Kristin said. "Are you sure the UEO would even agree to it?"

"I'm sure they will," Nathan said. "Or they'll lose me too."

"You mean you'd give it up for us?" Kristin asked, shocked.

"Yeah, I think I would. I love doing this, but I love you more. And I like the thought of being a daddy again."

"It won't be easy," Kristin said.

"I know," Nathan said. "But we'll get through it together."


	30. 4 Minutes

**A/N: Inspiration for this chapter, '4 Minutes' by Madonna and Justin Timberlake: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) bHHUhcV2eVY**

**Chapter 30**

**Another week later**

And, so it was decided that once the current mission was over, that there would be a remodeling after all. The UEO did agree to the adoption since they didn't want to lose their captain. Over the weeks, Nathan and Kristin both mended well, and it wasn't long before it was time to get down to business once again.

Nathan, Kristin, and the senior staff gathered in the ward room to discuss a strategy before arriving in Andros. Kristin's clothes had finally arrived, and she was no longer wearing Nathan and Lucas' clothes.

"Sir," said Jonathan Ford, "while you've been away, we've been watching Mangos very carefully. He's been at his home in Southern Andros the whole time, and it doesn't look like he's leaving anytime soon."

"There's still too much publicity over the hotel bombing," Lucas added. "He wants to remain hidden until it all blows over."

"That's good," Nathan replied. "That will make it easier to get him at his own game."

"He's very smart," Kristin added. "He might be onto us."

"Possibly," Brody added. "But he thinks we're all dead. The UEO even managed a fake broadcast that announced our demise."

Kristin gave a surprised look. "They did?"

Nathan nodded. "When all is said and done, they'll report a retraction. It's all to make the mission possible. Now," he continued, "I'd like to explain that this will be an extremely dangerous mission. Alexander Mangos is a powerful and resourceful man. Therefore, I do hope you will understand when I say that only a select few will go." He looked directly at Lucas when he said this.

Lucas, however, nodded with understanding, giving Nathan a reassuring smile. "No hard feelings, Cap."

Nathan smiled back at him. "Thank you." Then, he said, "Ford, Brody, Piccolo, O'Neill, Ortiz, myself, and Drs. Westphalen and Smith will go. The rest of you will stay here. Is that understood?"

They all nodded. "Now, if the names I mentioned would stay behind so we can discuss our strategy?"

The others stood and left the room, and Nathan continued.

"Now, we know we need to save Cynthia and Malique and capture Mangos, dead or alive."

"But, they might be working the streets," Ford added.

"You're correct, Commander, but they don't usually work at night."

"So, this is a night mission?" Wendy asked.

Nathan nodded. "I think the best way to go is have the men storm the building while the women stay outside."

"I don't think so," Kristin protested. "I'm going in to get Cynthia."

Nathan turned to her. "Kristin, if you go in, you'll be a sure target for Mangos. We'll have enough to deal with once we're inside, and we don't need to worry about saving you too."

"I can handle Alex," Kristin replied. "Besides, I'm not sitting outside waiting, not knowing what's happening to you. You could be shot...or worse."

Wendy tried to offer a solution. "Since there are eight of us, why don't we break into two teams? One team could focus on Cynthia and Malique. The other could focus on Mangos. And, we could use PAL devices for communication."

Kristin had to hand it to Wendy. She certainly was diplomatic, and she made a good point. "I'll agree to that," she said. She looked at Nathan expectantly.

"Fine," he conceded. "We'll meet in launchbay at twenty-three hundred hours. Get some rest 'til then; you're all dismissed."

Everyone stood and started leaving. Nathan grabbed Kristin's arm gently, urging her to stay.

When they were alone, he said, "I'm not happy about you going inside."

She crossed her arms and sighed. "Then why did you agree to it?"

"Because I'm the captain, and I'm not supposed to let my feelings get in the way of the mission," Nathan explained.

"Nathan, I'm not part of your crew...yet. But, you do understand how important it is for me to be there too, don't you?:

Nathan nodded. "Yeah, I do. It's just that I'll be worried about you."

"And I'll be worried about you too, but we need to focus on the task at hand and remain positive." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Everything will be alright."

Nathan agreed. "Yeah, after our near death experience, I like to think we have a bit of luck."

"Or a guardian angel," Kristin added.

"It's more like a fleet of angels," Nathan quipped. He gave her a kiss. "I suppose we should get some sleep. See you later?"

"Of course," Kristin said. Then she added, "Thank you for understanding."

"Anytime, Honey. I love you."

"I love you too." And, with that, the two parted ways, retiring to their own rooms, and preparing for the upcoming mission.

**Later that evening**

Nathan was the first to arrive in launchbay, followed by Kristin.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked.

"Not really," he replied. "I'll sleep a lot better when this is all over. How about you?"

"I didn't sleep very well either. And likewise."

"Don't worry; we'll get Cynthia and Malique back."

Kristin nodded.

A short time later, Wendy arrived, and then Ford. And it wasn't long before everyone was there. They all piled into the launch. Once everyone was secure, and Jonathan and Brody piloted the launch to Southern Andros, Nathan announced, "I've decided the two teams will be as follows: Ford, Brody, Ortiz, and I; O'Neill, Piccolo, Wendy, and Kristin. Any questions?"

O'Neill raised his hand.

"Mr. O'Neill?" Nathan said.

"So, we're supposed to rescue Malique and Cynthia?" he asked, motioning to the four people in his team.

Nathan nodded. "Is there a problem?"

"N-no," Tim replied. "I just wanted to get it clear. Do we need weapons?"

"You and Piccolo will, yes. All of us will, well, except the doctors. Of course, they're available for injuries," Nathan said. Then he lowered his voice and turned specifically to O'Neill and Piccolo. He wanted to speak with them privately out of earshot of the others. "And I'm counting on you two to keep the doctors safe, _especially _Kristin. Mangos will be after her if he finds out she's there."

They both nodded. "We won't let you down, Sir," Tim replied.

"We'll take good care of her," Tony added.

Nathan nodded. "Thank you," he replied.

Being that Kristin was sitting next to Nathan, she overheard Nathan's comments. However, when Nathan turned around, she pretended she hadn't. She just hoped this mission would go smoothly for everyone. She didn't like Nathan worrying over her. On the same note, she didn't like having to worry about Nathan, and this was the first time they were doing a mission as a couple. And it wasn't easy-for either of them.

One hour later, they arrived in Southern Andos.

"So, where's the house?" Ortiz asked.

"According to what Lucas found on the Internex, it's only a few miles up the beach," Ford answered.

So, the party walked along the beach, sharing a bit of smalltalk. But, for the most part, they walked in silence, each lost in their thoughts.

Once they arrived at Mangos' beachside home, they all stopped. The men all had their weapons, and Nathan handed out PAL devices to everyone. He looked at O'Neill's team. "Don't separate, if at all possible."

"Right, Sir."

"So, do we waltz right in?" Tony asked. "A place like this has gotta have an alarm system."

Nathan smiled. "That's what you're here for."

Tony shot him a look.

"You do know how to break into an alarm system?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah, I can do it, Cap. It's just the first time anyone told me it was OK." Tony quietly walked up the stairs and opened the alarm system keypad. A short time later, he announced, "We're in."

"Good," Nathan said. "Let's go around to the back door."

They did as Nathan said. Kristin quietly tried the handle. It wasn't locked, and a few moments later, they were all standing in the kitchen.

"You try upstairs," he said to O'Neills team. "Good luck."

O'Neill gave Nathan a nod as Wendy, Tony, Tim, and Kristin started up the stairs while Nathan and his team walked through the kitchen door to search for Mangos.

As Tim's team reached the first floor, he turned. "Do you think they'd be on this floor?" he asked Kristin. Since Kristin knew Alex better than any of them, he wanted her opinion.

Kristin thought for a moment. "I don't think so," she whispered. "I think he'd have them on a different floor."

Tim nodded. "Then we'll go up another flight."

They all continued quietly. "Let's try this floor," Kristin said when they reached the landing.

They quietly walked down the hall and started searching through rooms. It wasn't long before they found the correct room.

Cynthia sat straight up when she heard noises. "Malique," she whispered.

Suddenly the light flickered on. Cynthia and Malique, who were each shackled to their beds, looked up in surprise.

"Mom?" Cynthia said. "Is that you?"

Kristin rushed to her side. "Yes, Sweetheart, it's me." She began looking Cynthia over. "Are you alright. Any broken bones? Did they rape you?"

"Mom, I'm fine," Cynthia assured her. "And, no, nothing like that. A few beatings, but nothing serious. Why is your hair blonde?"

"That's a long story," Kristin replied.

"We'll have to deal with that later," O'Neill answered. First, we'll need to get these shackles off.

"I can take care of that," Tony said. "Stand back." Kristin did as he said and stood back as Tony expertly shot the chain in half.

"Where did you learn that?" Wendy asked as Tony repeated the same action with Malique's shackles.

"Prison," Tony replied.

But, as Malique began to move, he cried out in pain. Kristin and Wendy rushed to his side.

"What's the matter?" Wendy asked.

"It's his back," Cynthia explained. "They whip him."

Wendy and Kristin carefully lifted his shirt and saw the fresh wounds mixed with old ones on the young man's back. They both held in gasps. "We need to get you two to the launch right away," Wendy replied.

They quickly began moving, as quietly as they could down the stairs and to the back door. Wendy and Tim helped Malique while Tony, Cynthia, and Kristin walked behind. Suddenly, Kristin felt someone grab her.

"Not so fast," Alex replied. "Where do you think you're going?" He pulled Kristin away from the group.

Tony turned and pointed his gun at Alex. "I think you'd better let her go."

Kristin looked at the others, who had frozen in the doorway. "Run," she told them.

They did as they were instructed as Tony continued to point his gun at Alex.

"Let her go, or I'll shoot."

"Not if I shoot you first," Alex replied. As if on cue, McKenzie, who was standing in the shadows out of everyone's view, took a shot at Tony, causing him to collapse.

Kristin gave out a soft cry in shock. But Alex started pulling her arm. "Let's go," he said cruelly.


	31. Independence Day

**A/N: WARNING: This chapter will have some attempted sexual assault/rape. Although there won't be anything graphic, I understand some readers may be sensitive to the subject matter. Reader discretion is advised. Thank you.**

**Inspiration for this chapter, 'Independence Day' by Martina McBride: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) 4VPpAZ9_qAw&ob (equals) av2e**

**Chapter 31**

Alex pulled her upstairs and threw her into his bed. He closed the door behind him.

"Now," he yelled. "I suppose you want me to believe that you never meant to hurt me."

Kristin backed away from him. "Please, Alex. Don't do this," she pleaded. "Just let us go."

"And why would I do that?" he snarled. "So I can go to jail?" He lunged for her and forced her back onto the bed. "Now, you're going to give me what you promised," he said, holding her down.

"No," she protested. "Nathan won't let you."

Alex laughed evilly. "You think your captain is going to save you? Well, he probably would if he wasn't _dead_."

"You're lying," Kristin yelled as she struggled beneath him.

Alex shook his head as he bent down to kiss her. "I wish I were, Sweetheart, but we shot him and the rest of your friends. And the others won't get far. No one ever gets away from me," he said as he tore her shirt open.

"No please," Kristin protested as she began to cry. But Alex ignored her pleas as he took out a pair of handcuffs and shackled her to the bed.

Meanwhile, Tim O'Neill buzzed Tony on his PAL, but he hadn't answered. Therefore, Tim was worried. After making sure Wendy, Cynthia, and Malique were safely inside the launch, Tim headed back to the house and quietly made his way back inside. It wasn't long before he found Tony lying on the ground. He immediately rushed to his side.

"Piccolo, Piccolo," Tim pleaded.

Tony groaned and opened his eyes. "O'Neill?" he said weakly.

"Yeah, it's me," Tim replied. "You've been shot in the shoulder. Do you think you can get up?"

Tim helped Tony sit up. "Doc-Doctor Westphalen," Tony said. "M-mangos; he's got her."

"What? We have to help her." Then he paused for a minute and listened. "Do you hear that?"

Tony listened. "It's the doc. She's in trouble."

Indeed Kristin was screaming as she fought beneath Alex. She was screaming for help, hoping someone would hear her.

"Can you make it?" Tim asked.

"Yeah, yeah," Tony said. "I'm fine. We gotta go." He stood up and grabbed his gun, wincing in pain slightly. This did not go unnoticed by O'Neill. On the way, they met Ford and Brody.

"Oh, thank God we found you two," Ford said. He had been shot as well, and so was Brody. Ford, in the leg, and Brody in the arm. "We were attacked."

"Join the club," Tony replied.

Ford noticed his shoulder. "Well, the captain and Ortiz have been shot as well, and we can't move them."

"Well, the doc's upstairs," Tony said.

"Mangos has her," O'Neill replied.

The four men headed upstairs. Tim helped Ford, being the only uninjured man. They followed the sounds of Kristin's screaming and soon reached the door.

"No, please," they heard Kristin yell. "Get off of me."

Tim tried the doorknob and found it wasn't locked. He opened the door and the four men rushed inside, all pointing their weapons at Mangos.

When he realized he was surrounded, Mangos raised his hands and stepped away from the bed. Kristin was nearly nude, so O'Neill took a blanket and covered Kristin. "We'll get you out of this," he whispered.

Kristin nodded through her tears, grateful that someone had heard her.

"Now, move," Ford ordered.

"Fellas, I think we can discuss this," Alex said, walking towards Ford.

"One more move, and you'll be shot," Tony warned.

"Oh really?" Alex said, as he began to reach into his jacket pocket.

Instantly, Brody reacted and shot Mangos in the chest. He fell to the floor instantly and began coughing and choking, blood coming out of his mouth. "I-I," he stammered. "I-I'm s-s-sorry." After those words were uttered, he ceased to move as he passed away.

"He's dead," O'Neill announced as he touched his throat and felt no pulse.

Instantly, Tony rushed to Kristin's side. "Don't worry, Doc. We weren't lookin' at you. We were just tryin' to help you."

"I know," Kristin replied through her tears.

"Now," Tony continued. "I'm going to shoot through the chain. Just brace yourself."

Kristin did as she was told, and Tony fired a shot, causing the chain to break in two.

"Let me get your clothes for you, Doc," Tony said. He bent over to pick up her clothes, but he saw they were torn to shreds. He slipped off his own shirt. O'Neill saw what he was doing, and helped him get it over his shoulder. He handed it to Kristin. "It has a little blood on it, but it'll do 'til we get back to _seaQuest_."

All the men turned their heads so Kristin could slip it on. Fortunately, it was long enough to cover her, hitting her mid-thigh. "Thank you, Piccolo," she said. Ford searched through the drawers in the dresser and found a pair of shorts. He tossed them to Kristin.

"Thanks," she replied and slipped them on.

As the men turned back to her, they noticed Kristin was shaken. "D-did he hurt you, Doc? Did he-did he-?" Tony asked.

He didn't," Kristin affirmed, "but he tried. If you hadn't shown up-" She walked over to Tony and absently inspected his shoulder. "We need to get you back to the launch."

"We'll need to get all of us back to the launch," Brody said. "Everyone's been shot, except O'Neill."

"All of you?" Kristin asked in surprise. She gasped and brought a hand to her mouth. "Nathan."

"Get your PAL out and call Dr. Smith," Ford ordered Brody. "Tell her to call back to _seaQuest_ and get some back-up. And tell her we need all the help we can get."

Wendy did as she was told. A short time later, she arrived to help her friends. She and Kristin, along with O'Neill went to find Ortiz and Nathan. They found them on the second floor. Ortiz had been shot in the abdomen. He was alive, but was losing a lot of blood. Nathan was shot in the chest, and no pulse could be found.

"Oh my God!" Kristin exclaimed as she started chest compressions and mouth to mouth. Wendy tried to stop Ortiz' bleeding. By early morning, the Mangos estate was surrounded by UEO officials and helicopters.

Medics rushed in and flew all the injured to the nearest hospital. Kristin stayed with Nathan as he was loaded into a helicopter. She explained to the medic the treatment she had administered. They continued and hooked Nathan up to a heart monitor and oxygen.

To their relief, Nathan was alive, but his heart beat was faint due to a loss of blood. Kristin cried and prayed that he'd make it through.

**Hours later**

Kristin, Wendy, Cynthia, and Tim sat in the waiting room. Bullets were removed, and wounds were patched. Brody, Piccolo, and Ford were fine. Malique's wounds were tended, but he was fine as well. Ortiz needed surgery and some blood, but he would mend. They hadn't heard about Nathan yet, and Kristin was having a hard time dealing with it.

Cynthia and Wendy sat on either side of her, both with an arm around her, trying to comfort her. Kristin just couldn't stop crying, couldn't stop feeling as though she might lose the love of her life. She felt she couldn't go on without him. She sobbed into Wendy's shoulder.

"It's going to be alright," Wendy and Cynthia both whispered to her.

But, all of they could do was sit and wait Tony, Jonathan, and Jim joined them took seats next to them. A moment later, Malique joined them as well.

Finally, Kristin was able to stop her tears, feeling empty. She still felt awful, but she couldn't seem to cry anymore. "How long are they going to make us wait?" she asked. "You'd think someone could tell us something," she said desperately.

A moment later, as if to answer her, a doctor came into the waiting room. "Are you the party waiting for Nathan Bridger?"

"Yes," they replied, waiting expectantly.

"Well, I'm Dr. Rushton," she replied. "And, I have to let you know he should be fine...if he makes it through the night."

"Oh thank you," Kristin replied, feeling happy tears sting her eyes.

"But," Dr. Rushton continued, "he came very close to death. We had to reconstruct his heart and give him blood. He'll need to stay overnight. If he lives through the night, he can be released back to _seaQuest_."

Kristin didn't like the word 'if'. She knew what that meant in doctorspeak, and she knew the chances. She knew it didn't look good.


	32. I Don't Want to Miss a Thing

**A/N: OK, I made a slight mistake in the last chapter, as someone so kindly pointed out. You can reread it, if you wish...but I'll just tell you right here. Instead of the doctor saying Nathan will be fine, I changed the line to: "He should be fine...if he makes it through the night." Sorry for the mistake, since there was a bit of contradiction. I could say I was getting tired after trying to get as many chapters out as I could, but that's no excuse for not double-checking. I will try not to make mistakes like this again. I hope you'll forgive me. Thank you.**

**Inspiration for the chapter, 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing' by Aerosmith: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) rKAn1HvmRXM**

**Chapter 32**

"C-can I see him?" Kristin asked hopefully. She knew the inevitable question doctors always ask was next.

"Are you family?" the doctor asked.

Now, Kristin couldn't lie and say she was his wife, since the UEO had already faxed Nathan's records over. They knew Nathan wasn't married. She was silent for a moment as she tried to think of a way she might be allowed to see him.

"She's his fiance," Wendy cut in.

Kristin turned and gave her a shocked look.

"I-I wasn't supposed to say anything. It was supposed to be a surprise," Wendy explained. "He told me last week."

Kristin nodded, tears coming to her eyes.

"OK," Dr. Rushton said, "right this way."

Kristin said some quick goodbyes to the rest of the crew, Malique, and Cynthia. Ortiz was doing well, and was released to Wendy's care as well. They were to be leaving on a launch shortly.

"We'll see you tomorrow," Wendy assured her.

"I love you, Mom," Cynthia said.

"I love you too," Kristin said.

She turned, and followed Dr. Rushton to Nathan's room. A short time later, they arrived in the intensive care section. Being a doctor, Kristin thought she knew what to expect, but seeing Nathan hooked up to machines and respirators brought fresh tears to her eyes.

"I'll leave you alone," the doctor said as she left the room.

Kristin sat down next to Nathan's bed. She put her hand in his and spoke softly to him, speaking soothing, comforting words. It wasn't that Nathan needed comforting; she doubted he could even hear her at the moment, but it was more for her benefit. She needed the comforting, and Nathan was normally the one who did that for her. But, she had no Nathan, no Wendy. She was alone, and she couldn't have felt more alone if she was the last person on Earth.

But, after shedding more tears, she felt she'd cried enough for now. Crying wasn't helping either of them. So, instead, she wiped her eyes, and she started talking to him.

First, she started about random things like, "The weather is nice today. There's no rain, and you should have seen the sunrise." But, then, she shifted to explaining what happened once they were separated at the Mangos estate. "We saved Cynthia and Malique, and they're fine. They've endured a few beatings, and poor Malique had been whipped. But, for the most part, they're fine." She squeezed Nathan's hand a little tighter. "But, you should be really proud of your crew. I know _I_ am. If they hadn't been around, well..." her voice trailed off, and she felt a few tears sting her eyes again.

The thing was, in all the commotion, Kristin never once had time to think of what might have happened, how she could have gotten hurt if Tim and Tony hadn't come back to help her. And, immediately following, she rushed to help Nathan and Miguel. There wasn't any time for her to grieve for herself, to shed tears for that pain. But, in thinking about it at that moment, she did so. She hadn't wanted to cry anymore, but it was a necessary part of her healing. And, although she hadn't noticed it before, she suddenly realized she bore her own battle scars. There were bruises on her legs and arms, and there was a mark around each wrist where the handcuffs had dug in, a reminder of the very real possibility of what might have been. So, she finally did allow herself to shed a few tears for what she endured. She had a feeling it wouldn't be the last time, since she willed herself to cry for only a few moments. But, for the moment, it was what she needed. She quickly recovered and continued her story.

"You see, after we found Cynthia and Malique, Alex found us. Apparently, he shot every member of your team, and then, he found ours. Like you said, I was a target. I'll tell you more about that...when you're awake." She took a deep breath as she said a silent prayer, hoping he _would _awaken soon. Then, she continued. "But, your men, though nearly every one of them were wounded, came back for me. And thank God they did. None of them let you down. None of them let _me _down."

Although he couldn't open his eyes, Nathan was beginning to awaken. He heard Kristin's voice, heard the emotion in her voice, heard her cry. He tried his damndest to wake up, but he couldn't. He tried to squeeze her hand. Kristin thought she felt it too. She knew there was a medical explanation for it. Synapses in the brain could cause the same reaction: a reflex. But, Kristin needed desperately to believe it was a sign, a sign that everything would be alright. Kristin found herself relax slightly. She was absolutely exhausted. She'd been fighting to stay awake, not wanting to miss a single moment, hoping she would be there when Nathan opened his eyes. But, now that she was relaxed, she felt safe enough to take a small nap and shut her eyes for a short while. She moved forward and laid her head against Nathan's lap, still holding his hand. It wasn't long before she fell asleep.

A few hours later, Nathan's eyes fluttered open. It took him a moment to figure out where he was, but then, it suddenly dawned on him, especially when he felt the gentle pressure on his lap. He shifted slightly and saw Kristin's beautiful face. Although he hadn't known what exactly had happened, he could see her tear-stained face and he noticed the the marks on her wrists. He gently stroked her hair, causing her to stir. A second later, her eyes fluttered open, and she stared in utter amazement.

"Nathan?" she breathed.

"Hey, Sweetheart," he said quietly.

Kristin put a hand to her mouth and stifled back happy tears. "Oh, Nathan, Nathan," she said, giving him a gentle hug.

A nurse in the hallway had heard the commotion and entered the room. "I'll go get the doctor," she said excitedly.

A few moments later, the doctor came in. Kristin was asked to give them a few moments while Nathan was given a full examination.

Once Kristin was allowed back into the room, the doctor said, "Well, I can honestly say he'll make a full recovery. Once Dr. Smith returns, I'll turn his care over to her."

"Oh, that's wonderful news," Kristin replied, looking at Nathan. "Thank you so much."

"You're very welcome," she said. "I'll come back to check on you later." With that, she left the room, and Kristin walked over to Nathan and kissed him on the forehead.

"I'm so happy you're alive," she whispered.

"Likewise," he said. "So, what happened?"

"It's a long story," she said as she sat down.

"You know I'm not going anywhere," he said.

So, Kristin told him about the ordeal, going into every detail. When she described what Alex had done to her, he did his best to comfort her. And, he, too, found himself feeling very proud of his crew when he'd heard they'd saved her.

"So, what happened to Alex?" Nathan asked after Kristin had shed a few more tears, and Nathan helped to calm her down.

"Brody shot him," she replied. "And, Wendy alerted the UEO to the situation, and helicopters and medics were sent. McKenzie and Psilinakis were arrested, and all the injured were brought here."

"That's some mission," he said. Then he motioned towards her. "So, that's why you're wearing Piccolo's shirt. I was wondering about that. Or do you just have to steal everyone's clothes?"

"It was very nice of Tony to lend me his shirt," Kristin defended.

"I know," Nathan said. "I'm only teasing." Then he added, "So you're OK?"

"I'm fine," Kristin said. "I'm right here, aren't I?"

"That's not what I mean." Nathan reached out and gently took her arm in his hand and rolled up her sleeve. "You're hurt."

Kristin looked into his eyes. "I'll mend."

"Don't do that," Nathan scolded gently.

"Do what?"

"Make it sound less painful than it is. I know you're not fine."

Kristin felt fresh tears again. She was trying to be strong, but the truth was, she had been so frightened with everything that happened. She found herself breaking down as she buried her face into Nathan's chest.

Nathan hugged her tightly. "It's alright," he soothed her gently. "Just let it out."

After several minutes, Kristin's cries quieted. Nathan expected her to pull away from him, but she hadn't.

"Kristin?" he asked quietly.

When she didn't answer, he turned her gently and saw that she had fallen asleep. He knew she must have been exhausted, so he gently stroked her hair and watched her sleep, feeling the need to be watch her and feeling nothing but love for her.


	33. Die Another Day

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, 'Die Another Day' by Madonna: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) GOnsB_YEu9I&feature (equals) related **

**Chapter 33**

The next day, Dr. Rushton contacted the _seaQuest_, and informed Wendy of Nathan's recovery.

"We'll be there shortly with a launch," Wendy informed her. And, so, being that she and Tim O'Neill were the few members of the crew who weren't injured, they headed to the Southern Andros Medical Center.

A short time later, Wendy and Tim arrived. Wendy kindly thought to bring Kristin a change of clothes and a hairbrush. It wasn't much, but Kristin was grateful.

"Thank you so much," she replied.

"Sorry I couldn't bring you a shower," she said as she handed the bag of clothes to Kristin. Now it was Wendy's turn to be shocked, however, since she hadn't noticed Kristin's bruises yesterday. "A-are you alright?"

Kristin nodded as she headed into the bathroom to change.

Wendy looked at Nathan.

"I think she'll need to talk," Nathan said quietly. "She's pretty shaken up, but she's trying to be strong."

Wendy nodded with understanding. "But if she won't talk to you, why would she talk to me?"

"She doesn't want to worry me," Nathan explained. "With me like this, she feels she has to be the strong one, but she might be willing to open up to you."

A few moments later, Kristin emerged from the bathroom, looking somewhat refreshed. Her hair had been brushed, and she had it tied back into a ponytail. Although it was still blonde, she began to look more like herself, not the blonde bombshell she'd been that past several months. She heard Wendy say, "I'll try to talk to her later." as she entered the room.

"Talk to me about what?" Kristin asked, sure they were talking about her.

Everyone acted a bit awkward, trying to think of what to say. Finally Nathan said, "I just want to make sure you're alright," he said gently.

Kristin sighed. "I'm fine," she insisted. "Please don't worry about me; you have enough things to worry about right now."

Nathan nodded, but as Kristin turned to gather her things, he cast Wendy a worried glance. She nodded knowingly and decided to try and speak with Kristin later, away from Nathan. That might get her to open up.

After Nathan was released, he was transferred to the launch, and it wasn't long before they were back on the _seaQuest_, safe and sound at last.

"I just wanted you to know your daughter's room is right next to yours," Wendy explained.

"How are she and Malique?" Kristin asked.

"They're doing well," Wendy said. "They were a bit undernourished, and well, you know about Malique. But, other than that, they're fine. I know your daughter mentioned she can't wait to get back to work. She sounds very tenacious."

Kristin nodded. "And stubborn as hell. But, I love her." She turned to Nathan, who was lying on a gurney next to her. She gave him a kiss and said, "I'll see you soon. I just need to grab a quick shower, and I need to talk some sense into my daughter about taking a break."

"Maybe she could do the same thing for her mother," Nathan replied, but Kristin hadn't heard since she was already on her way. He cast Wendy a desperate look.

"Like mother, like daughter," she replied.

"Tell me about it," Nathan said as Wendy and a med team pushed the gurney to medbay.

Meanwhile, Kristin had showered and dressed. She walked next door to Cynthia's room, but she wasn't there. So, she went back to her own room and grabbed Piccolo's shirt. She wanted to return it to him, and she wanted to thank him properly for saving her. She walked to his quarters and knocked.

"Come in," she heard Tony say.

As Kristin walked in, Tony exclaimed, "Doc! You're back."

Kristin smiled. "Yes, haven't you heard? The captain's doing quite well." She set the folded shirt on the small table in the middle of the room. "I just wanted to return this to you since I won't be needing it anymore."

"Aw, you could've kept it," he replied. "I got others."

Kristin walked up to his bed and sat down. "How are you doing?"

"Doing alright," he said. "Seems I have a little time off now."

Kristin nodded. "I'm just glad you're alright. I wanted to thank you...for saving me. I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there. I owe you and Tim so much."

Tony shook his head. "It was nothin'. I'm just glad we were there to help."

"Me too," Kristin confirmed. "You know I've informed the captain about what you did. He's extremely proud of you...and so am I."

Tony heard the hint of emotion in her voice, and he nearly got choked up himself. He swallowed hard and said, "You're welcome."

"How did you know?" she asked.

"What?"

"From the moment you met me, you never doubted me. You never seemed to believe I was as bad as everyone thought at first, never thought I was in love with a drug lord," Kristin explained. "I just wanted to know how you could be so sure."

"Don't know," Tony replied. "I just heard stories about you from the crew members that knew you, and I just...knew."

"Well, I want to thank you for it," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "You're a very special man, and Nathan's lucky to have you on his crew."

Tony blushed. "Thanks, Doc, but-"

"No buts," she said as she stood to leave. "It's true, and you know it. Or at least you do now. I'll let you rest."

With that she turned and headed towards the door.

"Thanks again, Doc," Tony called to her.

"Anytime," Kristin said with a smile as she closed the door behind her.

Next, Kristin headed to the mess hall, thinking that was where Cynthia was. As expected, she found her.

"Mom?" Cynthia smiled. "The captain's alright?"

Kristin nodded as she sat down next to her and Malique. "Yes, he's mending well. But, what's this I hear of you two going back to work so fast?"

"And what's this I hear of you adopting Kristen and Harry?" Cynthia asked, not missing a beat.

"Touche," Kristin replied. "But, I asked you first."

"We weren't going to work right away," Malique defended. "But we don't want to wait very long. There are orphans all over that need help."

"I understand that," Kristin said gently, "but that doesn't mean you two can't take a rest."

"Well, how long would you recommend, Mom? A week? A month? We don't want to be idle," Cynthia said, getting a bit louder with each word.

"You don't need to shout, Sweetheart," Kristin said. "I know how much you want to help. I just don't want you getting hurt in the process."

Cynthia nodded. "Sorry," she said. Then she added, "Lucas told us what you did. I can't believe you put yourself in danger like that...for _me_."

Kristin reached out and pushed a stray hair off her daughters forehead. "I'd do anything for you, Sweetheart. You know that, and I'd do it all over again if I had to."

Cynthia gave her mother a tight hug. "And I'd do anything for those kids," Cynthia explained.

Kristin nodded in understanding. "I know," she said. "That's why I...well, Nathan and I actually, were going to adopt Kristen and Harry. I know it's not much, but-"

"Mom, that's wonderful!" Cynthia exclaimed. "But you know what you're getting yourself into? I mean, you're not as young as you used to be."

"No, but I'm not that old either," she said in her defense. "And, they're such angels."

Cynthia and Malique agreed.

"So where do you plan to go from here?" Kristin asked.

"We're not sure," Cynthia said. "We talked to Maggie and Crystal this morning. They said that the owner of the orphanage in Nassau would most likely offer us positions there."

"Why, that's wonderful," Kristin said.

Malique nodded. "But we'd also like to help more children."

"But, we've decided we'd go to Nassau first and rest a bit," Cynthia explained. "Even _before _your lecture, but we weren't going to stay here much longer."

"So, when are you going back?"

"Tomorrow," Cynthia said. "It seems _seaQuest _needs to leave the area for repairs."

Kristin nodded. "It's remodeling actually, but I understand."

Cynthia hugged her mother once again. "Thank you so much for everything, Mommy."

"You're welcome," Kristin replied as she hugged her back. "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

Soon after, Kristin excused herself. She'd told Nathan she'd go see him, and that was over two hours ago. He was probably wondering what happened.

As she made her way to medbay, she stopped in Wendy's office. "Hi."

"Oh, hi, Kristin. Are you here to see Nathan?"

She nodded. "Which room is he in?"

"He's in room seven, but he's asleep."

Kristin looked disappointed. "I tried to get here sooner, but I had a few things to take care of," she explained.

"He already figured that," she said. "I'm sure he understands."

Kristin nodded.

"Well, you're welcome to go in there," Wendy said, unless you'd like to talk.

"Talk?" Kristin asked as if it were a foreign concept.

Wendy nodded. "You know I have a background in psychology. And, I'm not going to lie to you; the captain _is _worried about you. And, he has good reason to. Everything in the past twenty-four hours happened so fast, you haven't had time to deal with it. You've only pushed it aside because you feel you need to put on a front."

Kristin was speechless. How could a woman she'd known merely a few weeks already have her pegged? It was both calming and disturbing. It was refreshing to know someone knew her secret, but it was uncomfortable for her to be under the microscope. "I-I'm fine."

Wendy crossed the room and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You keep saying that, but are you _really_? Or do you just think the more you say it, that you'll start to believe it?"

"Maybe," Kristin finally admitted. "It's just that everyone else endured so much," she said through fresh tears. "I didn't get shot."

"No," Wendy said, "but you did get hurt. And just because we might not be able to see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

Kristin began sobbing harder, and Wendy wrapped her arms around her. After a few moments, Kristin's sobs subsided.

"Is that better?" Wendy asked.

"A little," Kristin admitted. "I was just afraid to admit it to anyone. I think I do need to talk."

"I'm listening."

And, so, Kristin told Wendy how frightened she was of Alex, not only that night, but for the past several months. And, Wendy listened and comforted her as best as she could. And, when it was all over, Kristin _did_ feel better.

"Just remember my door's always open," Wendy said.

Kristin nodded. "Thank you so much. I'm not saying I won't need it again, but I think I'll survive."

"I know you will," Wendy confirmed.


	34. Fashion of His Love

**A/N: The suspense is pretty much over. I just wanted to let you know for the suspense lovers, not that I'm telling you not to read. But, these next chapters will be more romantic and family-oriented. I am going to add a little bit of humor to try and lighten the mood. I still hope you continue reading, and I hope you enjoy it. Thank you.**

**Inspiration for the chapter, 'Fashion of His Love by Lady Gaga: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) cZv-yVuvFi4&ob (equals) av2e**

**Chapter 34**

**One week later**

Once Nathan was well-enough, and all the red tape was cleared with the UEO about the remodel, the seaQuest docked in New Cape Quest. Some crew members took the opportunity to go home and visit their families, but most of them stayed right there since the UEO paid for a hotel for everyone to stay. If Nathan had his way, he would have stolen Kristin away to his island, but that wasn't possible since he was still under Wendy's care. And, for the most part, he was still on bed rest, which he found extremely frustrating. But, at least Kristin agreed to share a room with him this time. Unfortunately, it was just so she could keep an eye on him.

Since this time was more relaxed, however, Kristin was finally able to dye her hair back to its rightful color. In the meantime, applications and interviews were conducted via vid-phone since Nathan couldn't travel at the moment for the adoption. As soon as Nathan was well enough, he and Kristin would fly to Nassau to pick up the children. Nathan was happy to be getting a new family, but he wanted to show Kristin how much she meant to him. And, the children were promised a mommy and daddy; he wanted to make it legal.

He'd awoken early since the sun was peeking through the curtains and shining right on his face. Kristin was still sound asleep, and he saw that as his golden opportunity. He quietly slipped out of bed and padded to the small dining area. He quietly dialed room service and ordered breakfast. After that, he opened the bedroom door a crack to see if Kristin was still asleep, and he was pleased to see that she was. Then, he made another call and had a dozen red roses sent to the room as well. A short time later, the food arrived, and the knock on the door _did _wake Kristin.

As Nathan shut the door and wheeled the tray inside, he saw her in the bedroom doorway. And, she didn't look pleased.

"What do you think _you're_ doing?" she asked in a stern tone. "Aren't you _supposed _to be in bed?"

"I couldn't sleep," he explained. "Besides, I'm going stir crazy cooped up in here all day."

"Well, I'm going stir crazy trying to keep tabs on you. Honestly, I can't turn my back on you for a minute."

Nathan walked over to her and put his arm around her, ushering her to the table. "Look, Wendy said I didn't have to stay in bed all the time now. I'm allowed to walk around a bit, and look," he pointed to the service cart. "I ordered breakfast."

"Well, it does smell good," she said.

Nathan gently pushed her down into a chair. "Just sit here for a minute. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" she asked, concern lacing her words.

"I'm just going to use the little boy's room, _Mom_."

As he headed toward the bathroom, Kristin thought she heard some snide comment about doctors, but she ignored it. Instead, she set the small table and dished out the food onto two plates, poured coffee, and waited. But, after she felt Nathan was gone a bit too long, she called, "Is everything alright in there?"

"Yes, everything's fine," he called. "Be out in a minute." But, the truth was, Nathan was panicked. He had an engagement ring for Kristin. But, he'd forgotten he'd given it to Lucas for safe keeping. He couldn't believe what an idiot he was; what kind of dope sets up a proposal and forgets the ring? He quickly tried to think about how he was going to get Lucas to bring him the ring.

"Nathan?" Kristin called again.

Nathan could tell she was right outside the door. He knew he better come out of the bathroom, or she was going to barge in. He opened the door. "What?" he asked innocently. "Can't I get a little privacy?"

"I'm sorry," Kristin replied, feeling a little silly. "I just worry."

"Well, you don't need to," he said.

"Come sit down and eat," Kristin said, heading back to the table.

"In a minute," Nathan said, heading back to the bedroom.

"Where are you going now?" Kristin had no idea what was going on, but she knew one thing for sure: Nathan was certainly acting strange, and she couldn't fathom why.

Nathan took his mobile phone out of his suitcase and quietly dialed Lucas' number. He hoped the teen was awake. It wasn't long before someone answered.

"Hello?" the sleepy teen answered.

"Lucas? Sorry to wake you, but I need the ring," Nathan whispered.

"The ring? You mean you're proposing now?" Lucas replied, becoming more awake.

"Well, I'm trying," Nathan said.

"And you forgot the ring?" Lucas continued. "That's classic."

"That's _moronic_," Nathan said, trying to confirm how stupid he felt. "In my defense, she won't let me out of her sight. And if it's not her, it's Wendy."

"I'll bring it right over," Lucas said.

Nathan emerged from the bedroom shortly after.

"What were you doing?" Kristin asked as he sat down.

"I was making the bed," he said.

Kristin just stared at him for a moment. "Making the bed?"

"Do you have a problem with me being neat and tidy?"

"Well, no," she said. "Look, I know you're up to something; I just don't know what. If this is a way to get me to lay off of you a bit, I'm getting the hint. And, for your information, I was going to give you some space tonight."

"You were?"

Kristin nodded as she took a sip of coffee. "Yes, Lucas and I are going out for dinner, a belated birthday celebration. But, if you keep acting like this, maybe I should cancel."

"No, don't do that," Nathan said, taking a bite of eggs. "He'd be disappointed."

Kristin stared at him for a moment, trying to determine what he was up to. "Fine, but I'm getting Wendy to check on you."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Kristin looked at Nathan. "Who would be here this early?" she asked.

He shrugged his shoulders innocently. Now, Nathan knew it was one of two people: either the flower delivery person or Lucas. He hoped it was Lucas. "Why don't you answer it?"

Kristin opened the door. "Lucas? You're awake?"

"Uh, yeah," Lucas replied. "You know, now that I'm getting older, I'm getting up earlier."

"Before eight?"

"Well, you know, there's so much to do around here, I don't want to sleep the day away," Lucas said.

Kristin stepped aside to allow him to walk in. "Would you like some breakfast. There's plenty of food."

Lucas shook his head. "No, I just came to return this book," he said motioning to the book he was holding.

"Oh, thanks, Lucas," Nathan said. "I've been looking forward to reading it again. Would you mind putting it in the drawer of the bedside table?"

Lucas did as he was asked. Along with the book, he placed the ring box in the drawer as well. As Lucas came back into the dining area, he said, "Are we still on for tonight, Doc?"

"Of course," she said with a smile. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"You know," Lucas said. "If you changed your mind, we could always make it another night."

"And why would I change my mind?" Kristin asked, raising an eyebrow.

Nathan cast him him a desperate glance. "Uh, no reason," Lucas said, quickly recovering. "I'll see you tonight. Bye."

As Lucas left, Kristin said, "Seems I'm the only sane one today. Everybody's acting so _odd_."

Before Nathan could comment, there was another knock on the door.

Kristin rolled her eyes. "Not again. Can't we just have a quiet morning?"

"Why don't you answer it?" Nathan asked.

"Very well," Kristin said, muttering something about the funny farm. Meanwhile, Nathan slipped away to the bedroom, retrieved the ring, and got back to the table before Kristin returned from the door. He set the box on the table next to her plate. A moment later, Kristin returned holding a bouquet of roses. She had a huge smile on her face.

"Now I know why you were acting strange," she said, giving him a kiss. "Why did you do that?"

"Because I want to show you how much I appreciate you taking care of me," Nathan said.

Kristin walked into the kitchen to place the flowers in a vase full of water. "Even though I've been nagging?"

"You haven't been nagging," Nathan said.

Kristin gave him a look.

"OK, maybe a little," he admitted.

"I know, and I'm sorry," she said, walking back to the table. "It's just I don't want to lose you again, or even come close to it." Suddenly Kristin saw the small box on the table, and she turned to Nathan in shock.

He took her hand in his. "I don't want to lose you either," he said. He opened the box and took out the ring. It had two dolphins, one of gold and one of silver, intertwined as though they were nuzzling one another. He then got down on one knee and asked, "Kristin, will you marry me?"

Kristin could do little but nod her head as Nathan slipped the ring on her finger because she had happy tears streaming down her face.

Nathan stood up and hugged her. After a few moments, Kristin was finally able to speak. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Nathan said. "So you like the ring?"

"Nathan, you could have gotten me a twist tie, and I'd love it...because it came from you. But the ring is gorgeous. So, how long have you had Lucas in on it?"

"How did you know he was in on it?" Nathan asked innocently.

"The way he was acting. Now I understand. How long have you had this planned?"

"A while now. In fact, this was supposed to happen months ago."

"I suppose I messed that up," Kristin replied, sounding a bit sad.

"No," Nathan said. "It wasn't your fault. Everything happened as it should. Besides, if you'd have never gone to Andros, we never would have been going through the adoption of Harry and Kristen. Everything happens for a reason, you know." He kissed her deeply to prove his point.

Kristin nodded. "I suppose you're right."

"So, what do you want to do now?" Nathan asked.

"I just want to spend the day with you."

"In bed?" Nathan said with a seductive tone in his voice.

"I'd love nothing more, but you know you're healing."

Nathan nodded.

"But it doesn't matter," Kristin replied. "I just want to be close to you. There'll be time for the rest when you're better."

Nathan put his arm around her and led her to the bedroom. "That's why I love you," he said.


	35. This is My Paradise

**A/N: Inspiration for this chapter, 'This is My Paradise' by Bridget Mendler: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) .com (backslash) watch?v (equals) KfRNulSNpcw**

**Chapter 35**

**One month later**

Kristin and Lucas did have their private celebration, and she reconnected with her surrogate son. She also made sure he didn't feel left out because of the adoption. It was good news to know he wasn't. In fact, he was excited to babysit, when he wasn't working, that is. Everyone healed well, including Nathan. It wasn't long before everyone was allowed to go back to _seaQuest_, but not before a small ceremony. Kristin personally called Admiral Noyce herself and made sure that everyone involved in the Mangos situation would be properly recognized for their bravery that night. Of course, the UEO had already planned to do that, but Kristin had wanted to be sure of it.

Admiral Noyce also pulled strings to be sure Kristin would be offered a job on the _seaQuest_. Through collaboration with Dr. Smith, it was decided they would be co-chief medical officers. Kristin didn't want Wendy to step down, even though she offered. So, Wendy agreed, but it was really no secret that she would let Kristin be in charge.

The _seaQuest_ had been remodeled quickly. It was really only the captain's quarters that were remodeled into an apartment area, with a bedroom large enough for Nathan and Kristin and two smaller bedrooms for Kristen and Harry. Once it was ready, Kristin, Nathan, and the others were all invited to check out the new additions.

And, Nathan wasn't joking when he told Kristin he would make sure a playground was installed. It was a smaller one, like one in a fast food restaurant, but he knew the children would love it. He wanted the kids to feel at home since it would be there home, at least for part of the year.

"Nathan!" Kristin exclaimed when she saw the enclosed playground next to the moonpool. "You actually had a playground built!"

"I told you I would," he said with a smile.

"I know, but I thought you were joking," she replied. "I can't believe they let you do this."

"Well, you know, when you're the captain-"

"The UEO kisses your butt?" Lucas finished as he came upon the conversation.

"Something like that," Nathan agreed. "So, what do you think of it?"

"I think the kids will love it. So when do you two leave?" Lucas asked.

"Tomorrow," Nathan said. "Our flight leaves in the morning. But, we're going to spend a few days on my island before coming back here."

"That'll give the four of you time to bond," Lucas realized. "I can't wait to meet them."

"Oh, you'll love them," Kristin gushed. "I'm just so excited."

"Just wait 'til you see their bedrooms," Lucas said.

"I haven't seen them yet," she admitted.

"Well, I think _Daddy_ went a little overboard," Lucas replied. "They're being spoiled before they get here."

Kristin gave Nathan a look of mock anger.

"Hey," Nathan defended, "I just want them to be happy."

"I know," Kristin replied. "I'm not angry."

"Good," Nathan said, "because I bought a few things online too, and I had them sent to the island home."

"What kind of things?" Kristin asked as the three started toward the captain's quarters.

"Toys and things," he replied innocently.

"Things?"

"Yeah, well, you know, clothes and things," Nathan replied.

Kristin didn't say anything since they'd come to the door leading to their room.

"You go first," Nathan said to Kristin.

Kristin did so as Nathan and Lucas followed.

"Do you think she'll like it?" Nathan asked Lucas quietly.

Lucas nodded. "Oh yeah," he replied with a smile.

Kristin headed to the childrens' rooms first. Each room had a small sign outside the door. One was painted blue with sharks around it and in large, dark blue letters had 'HARRY'S ROOM' on it. The other door had a pink sign with butterflies around it and had 'KRISTEN'S ROOM' on it. Kristin opened Harry's door first. The room was painted in blues and turqoises to make it look as though it was underneath the ocean. The walls were covered in fish and sharks. In addition, there were pictures of boats and submarines as well. Nathan had Darwin's aqua tubes extended so that Harry could see Darwin just like Lucas. On one wall was the bed, also with shark and ocean-themed sheets and comforter. On another wall was a matching dresser, filled with new clothes. And, on the other wall were boxes and boxes of new toys: action figures, games, matchbox cars, books, and even a toy chemistry set.

"Oh my," Kristin exclaimed.

"Do you think he'll like it?" Nathan asked.

"Well I would if I were eight," Lucas added.

Kristin turned to Nathan. "He'll love it! I can't believe you planned this yourself."

"Just wait'll you see Kristen's," Nathan said. "You know, I never had a little girl, so I'm not sure how I did."

"I'm sure you did wonderfully," Kristin said as she walked out of Harry's room and headed to Kristen's. Kristin gasped when she entered the room since Nathan had done well, very well indeed. The walls were painted in a similar fashion to Harry's, with the blues and turquoises. However, instead of sharks and submarines, there were colorful fish and mermaid princesses adorning the walls, bearing a striking resemblance to a certain movie mermaid that little girls seem to love. On one wall was her bed, adorned with mermaid sheets and comforter. And, she too had a matching dresser filled with new clothes. And, Nathan even made sure she'd be able to see Darwin as well, including her own aqua tube section. And, just like in Harry's room, there were boxes and boxes of dolls, games, a toy oven, books, stuffed animals, and a doctor kit.

"Oh wow! She's going to love this!" Kristin said. She turned and hugged Nathan tightly and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"So you approve?"

"Of course I do!"

"Hm, just wait until you see our room," he said.

"I think that's my cue to leave," Lucas said. "I'm sure you two need your rest for tomorrow."

"Lucas, you don't have to leave," Kristin said.

"I know," he replied. "But I think you two need some time alone."

They didn't argue with him. Although they had been in New Cape Quest for the past month, they hadn't much time to reconnect intimately, and it seemed the perfect time. And, since Nathan was still healing, Ford was handling the bridge until Nathan returned. As Lucas left, Nathan picked Kristin up in his arms and carried her to their bed. No one saw them for the rest of the day.

**The next morning**

Kristin and Nathan boarded their plane, after saying quick goodbyes to Lucas and the other crew members. It wasn't long before they arrived in Nassau. Cynthia picked them up at the airport, since she and Malique were still in Nassau, working at the orphanage. As promised, they were taking things easy for the moment.

"The children are so excited," Cynthia said as they piled into her car. "They've been asking for three days when you two were arriving."

"We're just as excited," Nathan said. "By the way, you're looking well."

"So are you," Cynthia said. "And, I hear congratulations are in order, _Dad_."

"You know you don't have to call me Dad, unless you want to," Nathan said. "You're OK with it?"

"I don't think I've ever seen Mom this happy, even when she was married to my father," Cynthia replied. "Of course I approve. So, when's the big day?"

"Sometime after the tour," Kristin replied. "We wanted Kristen and Harry to be there, and _you'd _better be there too. That means you'd better not be traipsing off across the world until _after _the wedding."

"Yes, _Mom_," Cynthia said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Then she added, "Of course I'll be there."

Although it was only a ten minute drive to the orphanage, time seemed to crawl by for Kristin and Nathan. They were just so excited that they wanted to see the children instantly. But, it wasn't long before they finally arrived, and the two practically ran from the car.

When they walked inside, Harry and Kristen were waiting in the lobby with their little suitcases. As soon as they saw Kristin they both ran to her and she hugged them both tightly, happy tears streaming down her face. Since the children hadn't met Nathan in person yet, they were a bit shy. Kristin crouched down before them.

"There's someone you two need to meet," she said.

Nathan crouched down as well. "Hi there," he said. "I've been waiting a long time to meet you both."

They both stared at him for a moment. Then, little Kristen ran to Nathan and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "Daddy!" she exclaimed.

Harry followed suit and hugged Nathan as well. Nathan wrapped his arms tightly around them both.

After the sweet family moment, there was some more paperwork to take care of before they could leave. But, soon enough, they were finally allowed to go. Kristen and Harry said goodbye to their friends, and they all said goodbye to Crystal, Maggie, Cynthia, and Malique.

That afternoon, they boarded another flight to the Yucatan Peninsula, and, by early evening, they were on Nathan's island.

"So, what do you two think?" Nathan asked the children when they came upon the house.

"Whoa!" they both exclaimed. "It's huge."

Nathan and Kristin laughed.

"Wait'll you see the inside," Nathan said. "I think there are some presents for you."

"Presents?" They both ran to the door. Nathan followed close behind to unlock the door and let them inside.

Soon, the house was filled with childrens' laughter and empty boxes from toys.

Afterwards, Nathan asked Kristen to come over to him. "I was wondering if you'd mind if we called you Kristy? Being that you and Mommy have the same name, I thought it might help so no one gets confused."

"That would be fine," Kristen replied. "I like being called Kristy. Our real mom used to call me that when I was younger."

So, it was decided. Kristen became Kristy.

Then, they ate dinner out on the back porch. Then, they went for an evening stroll on the beach.

As Nathan and Kristin watched the two children run along ahead of them, Kristin asked, "So is it everything you imagined?"

Nathan shook his head, as he wrapped his arm around her and kissed her. "No, it's better."

.


	36. A New Day Has Come

**A/N: I should mention that there will be some small passages of time where I will be skipping weeks here and there. There isn't much going on on the **_**seaQuest**_**end, and the last few chapters will be about family and wedding plans and such. Thank you.**

**Inspiration for the chapter, 'A New Day Has Come' by Celine Dion: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals)_Eg9jQOebTo8**

**Chapter 36**

**One week later**

After spending a few lovely days on the island, the Bridger-Westphalen clan bonded, and, when they returned to _seaQuest_, no one could tell that Harry and Kristy weren't their natural children by how close they had become so fast. The children were thrilled with their bedrooms and their new toys and clothes. And, they were even more excited when they saw the playground.

They hugged Nathan tightly exclaiming, "Thank you so much, Daddy! We love you!"

"I love you too," Nathan replied. Then, he and Kristin watched as the two children played happily. And, Lucas was a big help to them as well, offering his babysitting skills. And, as much as Nathan and Kristin wanted to spend every waking hour with the children, the time had come for them to go back to work. And, the children couldn't spend every waking hour playing for Nathan and Kristin had expertly chosen a tutor for them. The UEO sent a group of tutors to choose from, but Kristin finally decided on a young woman. Although she was young, she seemed like she wouldn't let the children walk all over her. And Harry and Kristy seemed to adore her. Her name was Kendall Collins.

So, the children would spend their days with Kendall, and by afternoon, Kristin was able to spend time with them since Wendy usually took over medbay by then. For the most part, it was an excellent system. And, since there weren't many awful emergencies in the world, Nathan was able to hand the bridge over to Commander Ford by late afternoon. None of them could have been any happier.

And, this was a good thing since there was a wedding to plan. Neither Kristin nor Nathan wanted anything too extravagent, but they did know they wanted a small gathering with friends and family. So, it was decided that they would have a beachside wedding on the island. It seemed fitting enough, since they both loved the ocean. And, Kristin always dreamed of a sunset wedding on the beach, and Nathan happily agreed to anything she wanted. She just had to find a dress, which wasn't too difficult. And, they had to decide on a wedding party and make the guest list.

Kristin actually found the UEO useful for this. Although she'd never spoken very highly of their military ways, she found it could be useful being a captain's wife since she had access to a list of exclusive caterers and bakers. Therefore, the food area was already taken care of.

Now, Kristin had a wedding party in mind. Obviously, she planned of Cynthia to be her maid of honor. And, since she and Wendy had become close friends so fast, she wanted her to be one of her bridesmaids as well. Wendy and Cynthia had already happily agreed. And, Kristy and Harry would be flower girl and ring bearer. But, there was one more person she wanted to be there. She just had to make a call and see if she'd agree.

Kristin had found the number for the HR Clinton in the UEO database. A short time later, a lieutenant answered.

"Could I speak with Captain Hitchcock please?" Kristin asked, almost saying 'commander' instead of 'captain'.

"One moment please."

A few minutes later, Kristin saw a very pregnant Katie Hitchcock smiling from the vid-screen.

"Hi, Doc," she said. "How are you?"

"I'm well," Kristin replied, "and apparently, so are you. Is it-"

"Yes, it's Ben's," Katie replied. "We've reconciled, and we're getting remarried this summer."

"Well, that's a bit of a coincidence," Kristin began, "because that's why I've called you."

"Congratulations," Katie said with a smile. "So, the captain finally popped the question."

Kristin nodded and showed Katie her left hand. "Well, I called you because I wanted to know if you'd be one of my bridesmaids, but-"

"I'd love to," Katie replied.

"But is that going to interfere with your pregnancy?" Kristin asked, a bit worried. She wanted Katie there more than anything, but she suddenly had the image of her sunset wedding being delayed because she'd have to stop and deliver a baby. It wasn't that she wouldn't mind, but she really wanted the wedding to be her and Nathan's day-one else's.

When is the wedding?" Katie asked

"Two and half months from now. We're waiting until the tour ends."

Katie nodded. "Well, I know it's hard to believe, but I'm only five months along."

Kristin was surprised.

"It's twins," Katie explained.

"Congratulations," Kristin said. "Then I expect Ben to be there too. Nathan might even ask Ben to be in the wedding party, once I let him know you two will attend. Where can I send the invitation?"

Katie gave her the address and the two said their goodbyes. Now that Kristin had her bridesmaids chosen, she just had to work on the rest of the guest list. Of course, they both wanted the crew there, not only from this tour. But, they also wanted as many from the last tour to attend as well. So, Kristin made calls to Chief Manilow Crocker, Dr. Joshua Levin, and Chief William Shan as well. Crocker happily agreed to attend, being that he and Nathan had known each other for so long. Dr. Levin and Chief Shan, however, were unable to attend, but they sent their best wishes. And, Admiral Noyce and his wife Janet completed the guest list.

Now, Kristin just had to ask Nathan who he planned for his attendants. Kristin didn't want to force her opinion on him, but she had an idea of who she wanted. She just hoped Nathan felt the same way. So one evening, after putting the children to bed, she took out their wedding planning book. Nathan rolled his eyes slightly.

"Can't we just have a quiet evening?" he asked.

"I thought you liked planning the wedding with me?" she asked.

"I-I do," Nathan said. "But I've told you that I want whatever you want. It doesn't really matter to me."

"Well, I do need your opinion on this," she said. "Have you decided on your attendants?"

"My attendants?" Nathan asked, as if it was a foreign word.

Kristin laughed slightly. "Yes," she said, "you know; you're best man, etcetera."

"Oh," Nathan said with a nod. "Well, I was thinking Lucas should be my best man."

Kristin smiled. "Good," she replied.

"So, you approve?" he asked.

"Of course I do," she said. "Did I tell you Ben and Katie were attending?"

Nathan nodded. "Three times, Dear. Seems to me you were trying to hint at something."

Kristin gave him and innocent look and batted her eyes slightly. "Would I do that?"

"Yes, Ben will be one of my groomsmen, if that's what you're inquiring."

"Wonderful," she said. "We just need one more."

Nathan thought for a moment. He loved so many of the men on his crew, but he didn't feel right singling any of them out. He didn't want any hard feelings from any of them. But, he knew that Crocker was attending, and it seemed like the most logical choice.

"Gator," he said.

Kristin nodded. She knew who Nathan was going to pick before he had said any of their names, so she was pleased.

She finished writing and closed the book.

"That's it?" he asked.

She nodded. "I know you don't care about material swatches and colors and such. Cynthia and Wendy already agreed to help me with that. And, besides, you did want a quiet evening together."

Nathan nodded. "Well, it doesn't have to be completely quiet," he said suggestively.

"And just what did you have in mind, Sailor?" she asked huskily.

"Why don't we go the bedroom, and I'll show you?"


	37. It's Your Love

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, 'It's Your Love' by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) ohC7o_PPPtY**

**Chapter 37**

**Two months, one week later**

The second tour wrapped up without incident. Afterwards, the island home was turned upside down. Their house was filled with people constantly. Some were staying with them until after the wedding, and others were staying on the mainland. But, they'd take the ferry to the island every day to help Kristin plan. Still one week before the wedding, Nathan and Kristin barely saw one another since wedding preparations took precedence. And, when Nathan did see Kristin, she was constantly worrying that something wasn't done, or she was talking about the wedding.

But, Nathan had finally had enough. He missed his soon-to-be wife, and he wanted some alone time with her, and he was going to have it. He walked upstairs, where Kristin, Wendy, Cynthia, and Katie were discussing how Kristin should have her hair done on the big day or something. Nathan tried not to listen. Without saying a word, he took Kristin's hand and pulled her out of the room without saying a word.

"What in the _world_ was that for?" Kristin asked.

Nathan pulled her into their bedroom so they could speak privately. "I miss you," he said.

"Nathan we've been together every day," she insisted.

"Yes," Nathan agreed, "but we haven't been _together_. You might be here physically, but mentally, you're miles away."

"Well, I'm sorry," she said, "but I've been so busy with the wedding."

"I know, but I was wondering if we could have just one night where we _don't_ talk about the wedding?" Nathan suggested.

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you having second thoughts?" Kristin asked, somewhat panicked.

Nathan shook his head. "No, not at all. I _love_ you, and I _want_ to marry you. It's just that you are so stressed over this that you can't even think straight. _You_ need a break. That's why we're going out."

"Oh, Nathan I-"

"I don't want to hear you can't. I'm telling you, you've planned, and you've planned. You've been planning like crazy for the past couple of months, and I'm sure that you've looked every detail over with a fine-toothed comb. Nothing will go wrong. Even _God_ took a day off," Nathan said.

"What about the children?" Kristin asked.

"I've already talked to Lucas," Nathan replied. "Besides, there are enough people here; they'll be taken care of. But, Lucas said he'd make sure they ate dinner and got off to bed alright."

Kristin was silent for a few moments, but she finally agreed. "Just let me change," she said.

But Nathan shook his head. "You're fine just the way you are."

Kristin looked down at the pair of shorts and tank top she was wearing. "I'm really not dressed for a formal dinner." Then she looked at Nathan, who was wearing shorts and a T-shirt as well. "And neither are you."

"Who said anything about formal?" Nathan asked. "We're going to be spontaneous. There's been too much planning going on." He offered his arm. "Shall we, Mrs. Bridger?"

Kristin smiled and accepted his arm. "Yes, Mr. Bridger."

Nathan led her downstairs where they gave explanations to their bewildered friends and family. Then, they gave hugs and kisses to Harry and Kristy and said goodnight. Then, the couple crawled into Nathan's boat and headed to the mainland. It wasn't long before they were docked and walking along the shore.

"So, where would you like to go?" he asked as they watched the waves.

"I thought we weren't planning anything," she said. Soon, the distinctive tune of merry-go-round music could be heard in the distance.

Nathan grabbed her hand and started walking towards it. "I think there's an amusement park up ahead."

"An amusement park?" Kristin retorted. "Aren't we a little old for that?"

Nathan stopped and turned to her. "Hey, I got my first kiss at an amusement park. Believe me, it's not just for kids."

"Oh really? What was her name?"

"Mary Alice Simmons. We were twelve, and it was right after we rode 'The Demon'. It was the biggest roller coaster at the time."

"Was it everything you expected?" Kristin asked.

"Not really," Nathan replied. "Mary Alice and I had eaten corn dogs just before we got on the roller coaster, and she ended up throwing up afterwards."

"I was talking about the kiss," Kristin said.

"So was I," Nathan said.

Kristin burst into peals of laughter.

"I'm serious," Nathan said, laughing himself. "And for the longest time, I couldn't get another girl to kiss me because I got the reputation for making girls throw up."

After a few minutes of laughing, Kristin finally composed herself. "You poor baby," she said, but she still had a huge smile on her face.

"Hey, to a twelve-year old, it's traumatic," Nathan said with an equally amused grin.

"So, how did you change it?" Kristin asked, rather intrigued.

"I didn't for a while, not until I was thirteen. That's when Grace Wood asked me to the turn around dance. That's when the girls are supposed to ask the boys. And, boy, that was some night."

"I don't think I like where this is going," Kristin said as her smile faded.

"I don't mean _that_," Nathan said. "That's just the night my reputation turned around. Grace went and told everyone we knew what a great kisser I was, and my luck turned around."

"And just how lucky were you?" Kristin asked, raising an eyebrow and wearing a slight pout.

Nathan leaned over and kissed her. "I wasn't until I met you."

Kristin couldn't help but smile at that. "Nice save, Sailor."

"Want to ride the roller coaster and make out?" he asked.

"As long as we don't have corn dogs," Kristin replied with a smile.

Nathan grabbed her hand once again, and the two continued on their way to the amusement park.

And so, Nathan was able to remind Kristin that every second didn't need to be planned. Things always had a way of working out, and Kristin realized not to be so wrapped up in the wedding and remember what was truly important.

**One week later**

The wedding day finally arrived, and Nathan was absolutely correct. Everything fell into place without any problems. And, Nathan found himself standing at the altar in his dress whites. The beach area in the back of the house had been transformed. There was a small wooden platform with a small altar where Nathan stood with the reverand. Coming from the altar, an aisle had been created, lined with long-tapered candles coming out of the sand and large arrangements of lilies and red roses. On another platform was a small orchestra.

And, as the guest gathered, and sat down, the music soon started. And, Nathan found himself feeling a little nervous as Wendy and Crocker started down the aisle. The bridesmaids dresses were a lovely shade of teal, and each bridesmaid held a bouquet of lilies and roses like the ones adorning the aisle. As Wendy and Crocker reached they top of the aisle, they parted and Crocker stood next to Nathan and Wendy stood on the other side of the altar.

"How you feeling, Cap?" Crocker whispered in his ear.

"Like I'm sweating bullets," Nathan whispered back as Ben and Katie started down the aisle.

Crocker chuckled softly. "You know that feeling goes away."

"I can't wait," Nathan replied.

As Katie and Ben reached the top of the aisle, they too parted as Wendy and Crocker did.

Then, came Kristy and Harry, walking arm in arm. They looked adorable. Harry was dressed to match Nathan as best as could be done, and Kristy was wearing a tiny dress identical to the other bridesmaids. Harry carried a tiny pillow with the rings, and Kristy carried a tiny matching bouquet to Katie and Wendy. There was a chorus of quiet, "awwws" from the guests as the two children passed them. Soon, they too came to the top of the aisle and parted ways. Harry walked up to Nathan, gave him a hug, and then stood next to Ben.

Nathan felt himself becoming more nervous as Cynthia and Lucas started down the aisle. Cynthia looked beautiful, and Lucas looked very handsome. Nathan swallowed hard as the two reached the top of the aisle and parted ways. Lucas gave Nathan a pat on the back as he stood next to him. Nathan tried to stay on his own two legs as the wedding march began, and all the guests stood and turned their attention to Kristin.

And, as Kristin appeared, Nathan's breath caught in his throat. He'd always thought her beautiful, but he'd never thought she could any more beautiful than she did at that very moment. She was a vision. The dress she'd chosen was elegant, yet not showy. It was a lovely off-white, one-shoulder dress with small pearls sewn into the bodice. The skirt was long, but was tied at the waist, as if she were wearing a bathing suit and wrap, fitting for a beach. But, one would never know it was that because it was nowhere near casual. Kristin's hair was long and loose with only a spray of lilies and roses pulling back one section of her hair near her ear. She carried a bouquet of lilies and roses, and was Bill Noyce had agreed to walk her down the aisle.

When she and Bill reached the top of the aisle, Bill kissed her cheek and she joined Nathan at the altar. Nathan found he couldn't keep his eyes off of her the whole time the reverand spoke. He could barely repeat what he was told as he slipped the ring on Kristin's finger.

Before long, the reverand said, "I now present to you Captain and Mrs. Bridger. You may now kiss the bride."

As Nathan did so, he could hear cheers from the guests, especially Harry and Kristy. After scores of pictures and dinner, the dancing began. And, Nathan could finally talk with Kristin alone.

"I don't think I've ever seen you looking more beautiful," he whispered as the two danced close together.

Kristin looked up at him. "So you like my dress?"

"I like everything," Nathan replied. "The dress, the hair, but especially you."

Kristin laughed lightly. "You don't look too bad yourself."

"Well, we finally did it," Nathan said.

"Are you happy?" Kristin asked.

"I couldn't be happier," Nathan replied. And, to prove his point, he kissed his wife passionately.


	38. 1, 2 I Love You

**A/N: Inspiration for the chapter, '1, 2, I Love You by Clay Walker: http (colon) (backslash, backslash) www. youtube. com (backslash) watch?v (equals) UMUp0elrjZ4**

**Chapter 38**

**One month later**

Nathan was sitting on the back porch watching Lucas, Kristy, and Harry play. Lucas was pushing the children on the swings as Kristin came out of the house and sat next to Nathan.

"Well, I just got off the phone with Ben," Kristin replied. "It's a boy...and a girl."

"Wow! I'll bet he's on cloud nine!" Nathan said, putting his arm around Kristin.

Kristin nodded. "I don't think I've ever seen him so happy. As soon as they get settled, we really need to visit them."

"I'm sure we can squeeze it in before the next tour," Nathan replied. "How's Katie?"

"Mother and babies are doing well," Kristin announced. "No health problems for either of them."

"That's good," Nathan said happily.

A chorus of giggles caused Nathan and Kristin to turn their heads towards where Lucas and the children were playing.

"Lucas is so good with them, isn't he?" Kristin commented.

Nathan agreed. "He sure is." Then after a slight pause, he asked, "Do you ever think about having one of our own?"

Kristin laughed, but when stopped when she saw the serious look on Nathan's face. "You're serious?"

"Why not?" Nathan asked. "I never thought I'd want more children after what happened to Robert. But, after falling in love with those two, and hearing about Ben and Katie... Well, it makes me wonder what it would be like to have another baby, one of our own, a part of you and a part of me."

Kristin was silent for a moment, trying to think of what to say. She wanted to be as delicate as possible and spare Nathan's feelings. "It's a beautiful thought, Dear, but you and I aren't spring chickens anymore."

"I know," Nathan replied. "But, I think these two have made me younger," he replied, motioning towards the kids.

"I'm glad you feel that way, but what about me? You seem to forget _I'd_ be the one going through the hormone changes and the body changes. _I'd_ be the one putting on weight and crying at the drop of a hat. And, there are so many risks as a woman gets older, especially when she's pregnant. And, then, there'd be the midnight feedings and the diapers," Kristin said.

"But, there's also the first time he says dada and mama. There's the first step and the first smile, the first laugh, the first tooth. There's the fun of decorating the baby's room and picking out baby clothes. And, I'd be there every second to support you." Then he added, "And, nothing smells sweeter than a new baby."

"As long as he doesn't have a dirty diaper," Kristin said. "And what makes you so _sure_ the baby would be a he?"

"Or _she_," Nathan corrected. "I'd be happy no matter what the sex of the baby was."

"Nathan, I'm _thrilled_ you love the children so much. And, I'm _thrilled_ that it's made you feel like you could open your heart to another child, but-"

"Please don't say no," Nathan interrupted. "Don't close your mind to the thought."

Kristin paused for a moment. "Nathan, I love you so much, and I'd love to have your baby," she said, "_if_ we were younger. I'm just not sure."

Nathan shifted on the wicker couch and turned to look at her. "Do you _really_ think we're too old?"

"Well, just think how old we'll be when these two graduate high school," Kristin said.

Nathan sighed dejectedly. "I guess..."

Kristin couldn't help but feel a little guilty. She knew if the tables were turned, and _she_ was the one who wanted the baby, Nathan would never say 'no'. He never said no to anything she wanted. "I'll tell you what," she said, "I _won't_ say no."

Nathan brightend

"But I won't say yes either," Kristin said. "How about we just see what happens? And if it's meant to be, it will happen."

Nathan took Kristin's hand in his. "I think that's a good policy," he agreed. "Thank you," he added, "for being open to the possibility."

"Well, the thought of another one _is_ nice," she admitted. "My heart can't help but melt for a little bundle of joy."

Nathan laughed with a look of satisfaction. "You have that look in your eye."

"What look?" she asked innocently.

"The look that women get when they start thinking about babies," Nathan said. "You _do_ want one, don't you?"

"You're rather pleased with yourself, aren't you?" Kristin replied, noticing the smug look on Nathan's face.

Nathan laughed and kissed her forehead. "It's just good to know I'm not the only one."

The two turned their attention back to the children and watched them in contented silence for a while.

Then, Nathan asked, "So you want to go upstairs and see if a baby _is_ meant to be?"

Kristin laughed. "You're incorrigible."

"But, that's why you love me," Nathan said.

Kristin nodded. "Alright, Sailor. Lead the way."

"Gladly," Nathan said, taking her hand and pulling her inside.

**The End?**

**To be continued...**

**A/N: Well, I hope you've enjoyed the story. I'd like to thank you for reading, and I'd like to give a special thank you to those who took the time to review. I can't tell you much that meant to me. There were times when I wasn't always sure that people were liking the direction I was taking, so the reviews helped to confirm that I actually was and restored my confidence. **

**And, if you have read and enjoyed the story, and haven't told me, please, please, please take the time to tell me so. I've taken the time to pour my heart and soul into this story and spent hours writing it. So, could you be so kind as to take thirty seconds and write me a review? I would greatly appreciate it. OK, the guilt trip is over. You can go back to what you were doing.**

**And, on a final note, I'd like to dedicate this story to two special people:**

**To Hannie: Thank you for being my shoulder to lean on when I wasn't always so sure of myself. Thank you for being my consultant when I needed your opinion. And, thank you for being honest when I made a mistake. I appreciate you so much for who you are, and I am so lucky to have met you. You don't know how awesome you are! I love you so much!**

**To Carly: Thank you for being my confidante. There are days when I don't think I could make it through without you. And, please don't feel guilty that school has kept you busy. It's not your fault, and I don't want to hear, "I'm sorry." I know that when you read this, you'll love it. Thank you so much for being you. I'll love you always!**

**There will be a sequel, although I haven't come up with a title yet. I have an idea for one, but I am not going to tell you in case I change my mind. I am going to take a little break, but hopefully, I'll have it posted soon. Thank you so much. I hope you enjoyed the story.**


End file.
